Leave Sanity at the Door
by DojomistressAmbyChan
Summary: AU Ryou goes to a mental institution after trying to kill himself, and while there meets a certain girl which may change his ife for the better. Can love bloom in an insane asylum? RyouAnzu [hiatusmaybe discontinued]
1. Darkening Reality

AN:  All right new ficcy!  One of my first AU's so please be kind.  Anyway not a whole lot to explain yet but there might be later on.  All you need to know for now is Ryou and Bakura are twin brothers, no yami/hikari thing.  And I hope it's not confusing but tell me if it is, I''m trying to be really descriptive.  Anyway hope you enjoy!

Japanese:

Hotaru no Hikari = Firefly's light

Disclaimer: I no own Yugioh, though I wish I owned two certain white haired bishies!  I'll just have to settle for plushies for now.

"Leave Sanity At The Door"

Chapter 1:  "Darkening Reality"

'I can't do this anymore.  I can't fake it anymore.'  He was lying on his bed face up, tears streaming down his face as the rain pelted against his glass window.  'Why was it always Bakura?  Why was everyone always friends with him?  The only reason they don't beat me up like the other bullies are because of him.  But that's worse then actually being beaten up.  The pain is too much.'  His hand dug into the piece of broken mirror he still had in his hand.  He pulled up his long shirt sleeve and looked over his scarred arm.  He'd been cutting for a little over a year.  The first time had been an accident, he cut his arm when a glass fell and broke in the sink while he was rinsing it.  He hadn't been paying attention, he was thinking about his brother again. 

            His brother had always been the stronger more outgoing of the two, ever since they were kids.  But whenever he saw Ryou alone he tried to include him in whatever he was doing even if his friends didn't want him around.  But he never seemed to notice.  But Ryou did, and because of that people always thought he had friends, that he was part of their group.  So no one ever knew the true loneliness that dwelt in his heart.  Day after day of either being alone or being dragged along by his brother pretending to be happy.  Pretending to smile, pretending that everything was all right.  But it wasn't.  It never was, and it only seemed to get worse after that fateful day he felt a release from the mental pain with physical pain. 

            But as time went on it was getting harder to cover the scars and even now it was harder to free himself of the mental anguish.  Every time he cut he had to cut more and deeper and find some more painful way to free himself.  Which is where Ryou was now; watching the blue vein in his wrist pulsate with every heart beat.  He felt the blood drip from his right hand with every heart beat as the glass dug deeper into his flesh as his grip tightened.  He raised the glass to his left wrist and without blinking dragged the jagged piece across his tender and scarred flesh.  Fear had left his mind long ago as the mental and physical pain he began putting himself through became too much to bear.  So without fear or remorse he plunged the jagged piece in deeper relishing in the painful sensations ringing through his body as the thin blue line exploded in an array of red and began trickling down his wrist.  The pain was overwhelming and he couldn't help but pull the glass from his arm and throw it across the bed before covering his wrist with his hand.    
            He took in deep gasping breaths as the pain continued shooting through his body, the blood dripping over his hand and onto the bed below him.  It seeped into his blanket as it started to pool where his elbow met his bed.  It didn't unnerve him at all when after five minutes the bleeding continued.  'It's never gone on this long before.  What if it doesn't stop?  What if I end up passing out?'  He let out a deep sigh as the pain ebbed away.  But something was different this time.  The pain was leaving but he felt hollow and empty.  He heard his brother knocking on the door but instead of yelling out he wasn't hungry all that came out was a muffled groan.  'What's going on?  I feel so numb and everything is so dark, when did it get dark?  It's only five,' he thought and furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. 

            He heard knocking on the door again and a voice yelling from the other side, but it all sounded so far away.  He felt the darkness eating away at his vision as his hand slipped from his still bleeding arm and fell limp to his side.  Fear would have been the predominant feeling any normal person would have been feeling about then with their whole world fading before their eyes.  But as I said before, Ryou lost all fear a long time ago, and gave into the darkness with the last thing he heard was his door being broken down.

            _Beep…Beep…Beep...Beep…Beep...Beep…_

            He awoke to annoying but not high pitched or loud sound to his left.  He squinted his eyes open but shut them quickly as the light invaded his eyes.  'What happened?  Where am I?'  He tried to raise his left arm to block the light but felt a painful shock as it seemed snagged on something.  He quickly opened his eyes blinking tears away as his eyes adjusted.  He blinked the last of the tears away and looked down wide eyed at his arm strapped to a metal pole on the side of his bed.  'My bed?  This isn't my bed!'  He quickly looked down at the hospital gown he now adorned and at the small sanitary cot he was now lying upon.  'What happened?!'  He looked down at his other arm and both legs which were also restrained. He looked back to his left arm which had an extra layer beneath the restraint.  It was a bandaged wrapped around his arm.  'That's from…the last time I…'  He quickly averted his gaze as a young woman with long curly blond hair and violet eyes entered the room in a doctor's dress and a clip board.  She noticed he was awake and gave him a warm smile, which surprisingly enough he returned.  Of course it was faked, but he'd been at it for so long no one noticed.  'The few times I give a real smile are for my brother and him alone.  At least now I can fake it again.'  But after the years the doctor had spent with patients of depression such as this she could tell it was fake from a mile away.

            She pulled up a seat and sat next to his bed looking over his charts but not looking at any of the machines hooked up to or monitoring him.  "You're name is Ryou is it," she asked politely looking up to meet his eyes once again.  He mentally snorted at her.  He gave her one of his best smiles, and nodded.  "My name is Mai.  You do know why you're here right?"  He didn't even flinch but only politely nodded again.  'Because I carved myself up pretty badly.'  "Happy to see you decided to stay with us, we weren't sure you were going to make it."  'Woopy I live,' he thought sarcastically.  He still seemed completely unfazed by her words.  "Do you want to die?"  The smile left his face as he put on a pondering face.

            "I don't _want_ to but if it happens it happens."  Mai's smile faded but was still there.

            "So you don't care if you die?"  He once again seemed deep in thought.  'So what if I die, it won't make a big difference?'  It took him a few minutes but his face instantly lit up with that fake smile as he met her gaze.

            "No I guess not."

            "What about your family?   Don't you think they'd miss you?"  This one considered no thinking on his part as he quickly responded with the smile still on his face.  'There's only one person who'd ever miss me.'

            "Well the only family I have is my dad and my brother.  My dad I can't speak for since I don't know him that well but my brother would definitely be sad.  But he has lots of friends and I'm sure they'd cheer him up!"

            "What about your friends Ryou, don't you think they'd miss you?"  'What friends,' he thought bitterly.  He continued to smile but after a few minutes she was sure she wasn't getting an answer.  He continued to smile that big fake smile but his eyes screamed in agony as tears threatened but didn't fall.

            "So have you always been alone?"

            "I'm never alone!  I always have my brother and his friends."  She noticed how he referred to them as his brother's friends and not his own. 

            "What about when you don't go with them then what do you do?"

            "I watch TV or go to a movie or the library sometimes.  They have a lot of really old and hard to find books there you know.  There are these really old ones about ancient Egypt, my dad digs up ancient artifacts and things like that in Egypt you know?"

            "Ryou that's something your dad likes, but what do you like?"  He seemed confused a minute and once again took on a pondering face before responding, in which he still didn't seem quite sure.

            "My brother." 

            "No Ryou what do you like to do?  What are your favorite movies?"  The boy seemed at a loss, his eyes held unshed tears but he only put on that fake smile again.

            "What do you like Mai?"

            "Me?  I like dogs (AN: LOL Jou) and horror movies and fantasy books.  Now can you tell me what you like?"  His smile held out as she finally stood.  "Well Ryou once your wound finishes healing you're going to be moved."

            "Moved?  You mean I'm not going home?"  She nodded as he took on a confused look. 

            "You're going to Hotaru no Hikari, it's a special hospital."

            "You mean a psycho ward?"  'Figures.'

            "Such a rude term for where you're going to be moving to."  Something unnerved her about his reaction.  "You speak of it so lowly but you don't seem at all upset you're going there.  Is there a reason?"

            "I don't understand?"  She sighed.

            "I mean do you feel like you should be going there."  'Of course I should be going there.  I'm fucking nuts lady, I almost killed myself!'  But the smile took precedent over what he really wanted to say.

            "No but if you think I need to go there then I trust you."  She sighed but smiled once more before she left the room.   She shut the door and leaned against it.  

            "So what do you think?"  She turned to see the 'warden' of Hotaru no Hikari himself, Pegasus J. Crawford. 

            "He's putting up a façade.  He won't tell me what he really thinks.  I've seen this before and it looks like he might be hard to crack."

            "Have you told his brother yet?"  She shook her head no.

            "The poor boy comes home and finds out his brother almost committed suicide and he's a cutter without him even suspecting a thing.  Poor guy has a lot to take in."

            "Yeah but serious cutters are good at hiding it, at least until the end."  Mai's eyes looked downcast.  "You are going to continue to be his physician once he moves right?"

            "I didn't come take the nice half hour long trip over here to evaluate him and then hand him off to one of your lackeys."  Mai definitely didn't like most of her co-workers.  She considered them too cold and distant to really have an impact on patients and a lot of them wanted to use medication as an answer.  Which she thought wasn't bad as long as that included therapy, but some of the doctors seemed to hand out prescriptions as almost a way to avoid their patience.

            "By the way how is the one girl you've been treating?  It's been two months now right?"  She sighed in frustration.

            "She's still mute.  She communicates just fine but she wouldn't speak if her life depended on it."  They stopped their conversation as a young man with long white unruly hair came through the doors, his eyes were red from lack of sleep and he seemed drained.

            "Bakura, didn't get much sleep?"  He looked up at her like a dumbass for pretty much stating the obvious.  "You're brother finally woke up."  He looked up expectantly.  "It doesn't look good."

            "I don't understand why he would do this," he growled.  "I'd do anything for him and he knows it."

            "From what we can tell that might be one of the problems."

            "What?"

            "The only positive thing you're brother would even speak about was you."

            "What do you mean positive?  He's always positive and smiling and happy."

            "Bakura," Mai said putting a hand on his shoulder to calm him.  "That smile is a fake; he's trying to look happy to make you think nothing is wrong."

            "But why-"

            "You said it yourself; you'd do anything to make him happy.  But he didn't want you to help him."  
            "So it's all my fault?!"

            "No!  Bakura please calm down!  You're brother needs your support right now.  You won't do him any good by breaking down like this in front of him.  Listen I know this may sound cruel or unusual but after he transfers I don't want you to contact him unless we tell you."

            "What!?  He's my brother you can't do that!"  He lunged at her and grabbed one of her wrists in a painful manner.

            "BAKURA!"  She finally got his attention and waited as he slowly calmed down and released her hand.  "Listen your brother just told me that he didn't care if he died and the only person who would care is you.  And when I asked about his friends he couldn't tell me a thing.  Then when I asked him what he liked, like a movie or a book he only told me what other people liked he couldn't tell me a thing.  He needs to figure some things out on his own, like who he is before you see him again.  Seeing you again would only make him go back to what he was doing.  You still have a few days before he's released, so please do what you can with them."  He seemed to be in shock so she led him over to the chairs in the waiting area.  "I know this seems like a lot right now but your brother needs you."  He nodded his head in acceptance as Mai stood and said her goodbyes for then. 

            'Brother what happened?  Why didn't I notice?'  He took a few calming breaths to collect his thoughts before walking over to his brother's room and looking in the little window on the door.  'I promise I'll do whatever it takes to make you happy.'  He nodded in determination before slowly opening the door and walking in.

AN:  So what do you think?  Please give me some thoughts because I'm not sure about this.  Never did an AU before.  Anyway what do you think?  Keep it?  Frame it?  Burn it?  Use it for Teepee?  Thanks for reading!


	2. Welcome to Your Padded Room

AN:  Yay this chapter is a little longer!  Sorry if it seems boring and there's a lot of explaining but I want to get it over with now instead of later.  Anyway hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I no own Yugioh, though I wish I owned two certain white haired bishies!  I'll just have to settle for plushies for now.

"Leave Sanity at the Door"

Chapter 2:  "Welcome to Your Padded Room"

            As they drove closer and closer to his new home Ryou couldn't help but notice that they seemed to be getting farther and farther into the country.  'Guess if someone escapes there's no one around to get hurt,' he thought darkly.  He was riding in the backseat of one of the hospital's cars.  There was a mesh fence separating the back seat from the front much like a police car.  Mai had tried to start a conversation with him a few times but he shot her right down.  He actually felt sadder if it was possible when his brother told him he wouldn't be able to see him.  He almost cried but held back in front of his brother.  He didn't want to show anything but his smile to his brother.  When their mother had died Bakura had taken it worse then even Ryou and Ryou ended up being the one he leaned on for support.  Ryou always gave him a smile and told him everything was fine, but even after his mother's death was in the past he continued to play that role. 

            Now he felt like he had lost a part of him as he knew he wouldn't see his brother for what could be days or weeks or moths.  Hell if they wanted it could be years.  'Damn why couldn't they just keep their noses out of my business?'  He had never really been separated from his brother before and it was tearing at his heart.  If it wasn't for the restraints at the hospital he was pretty sure that pain alone would have pushed him to finish what he couldn't before.  He didn't _want_ to die he just wanted to cut to make the pain go away.  But if it took something like death then so be it. He noticed the vehicle slowing down and looked out to see a pale yellow building about three stories high.  'Why am I not surprised it's some god awful pastel color.'  Mai opened the door for him and he got out greeting her with a smile.

            "Welcome to your new home.  What do you think?"

            "It's charming."

            "Really?  I think the pastel look is hideous."  She saw his face waver at her comment but the smile held.  She opened the trunk and grabbed his one bag he was allowed to bring.  There wasn't a whole lot considering clothing was provided.  But there were a few things he wanted that he was allowed to bring with him.  They made their way into the front hall and to what looked like the reception area.  Mai plopped his bag on the counter gaining the plump middle aged woman's attention.  The receptionist turned around from the computer and greeted them.

            "This is Ryou Bakura he's checking in," she joked and handed the woman a few papers.

            "What level?"

            "Level 1," she said as the woman ran a metal detector over the bag and handed it back to Mai.  The woman typed in a bit of information before there was a printing noise and she asked Ryou to hold out his hand.  She slapped on a newly printed plastic band with his name, level, and various info on it.  Mai grabbed his hand as they walked to the right and waited in front of a caged door.  Before he could even ask what they were doing he heard a buzzer and looked back to see a woman pulling a switch and then found himself being pulled through the gate.  They went down a long hallway with a lot of doctors and nurses wandering through it. 

            "M-Mai," he asked nervously.

            "Yes Ryou," she asked waving a greeting at a doctor. 

            "What's level 1?"

            "It's your security level.  The lower it is the lower security.  I'm not allowed to tell you more then that I'm afraid."

            He nodded and followed until they came to a solid oak door.  She opened it and they entered a large open room.  It had chairs and a few tables with cards and other games and one TV in the corner near the ceiling.  He couldn't tell what was playing but he was pretty sure it had to be approved so probably nothing good.  There were about a dozen people with ages ranging from what looked like twelve to twenty seven in there.  None seemed to be around his age.  "This is the common room.  Whenever you're allowed free time this is where most people spend it unless the weather is good and they want to go outside."  'Allowed?  This is going to be fun,' he thought sarcastically.

            "Everyone is allowed outside?"  'Including the other really insane rapist killer psychos?'

            "No every floor is a different security level and they all have a common room on their own floors.  And only level 1's are allowed outside and only during the day.  This isn't everyone, other's are in sessions or in their rooms, or doing other activities."  She walked to the far end of the room to a white door with a little window near the top.  She held the door open signaling for him to follow her.  "What do you think of this place so far?"  'Besides all the gates this place doesn't really seem bad.'

            "It seems like a great place," he said smile still in check.  This time they only went a few feet before the hallway split and went straight or to the left.

           "Straight ahead are the session rooms for therapy.  You'll meet with me on your assigned days once you're settled in.  There are different doctors with different patients in different offices all the time so if you're looking for me don't just try and go to the office we end up using for our sessions."  He nodded in understanding.  "And at the very end is the door outside to the yard, but it's locked after dark and anyone caught trying to sneak out will be punished."  They once again made it to a split in the hallways, with a desk and another woman, this time in about her mid twenties sitting at a desk.  The hallway split in two, one to the left and one to the right but at the ends of each he noticed the hallway continued turning around.  He peered down the left before peering down the right.  A brown and white blur rounded the right corner just as he turned his head.  'What was that?'

            "These are the bed rooms.  Girls to the right boys to the left.  Certain bedrooms are locked for certain circumstances related to the patients.  Boys are allowed in girl's rooms and vice versa only if they get it approved here through Haruka-san."  The young woman at the desk nodded approvingly.  "And only between 10 AM and 9 PM and the room doors have to be open.  This way," she called walking down the left hallway.  They rounded the corner and he noticed it branched out three more times later down the hall.  The three other branches curving inwards to the right like a big letter E.  She stopped at the first branch and they made their way down about three doors when she opened a room on the right. 

            "This will be your room; you're allowed to shut your door.  But unless it's past 9 someone will peak in every hour on you," she said not feeling the need to explain why.  She didn't have to.  'So even after all this they don't trust me?'  He peeked into the white wash room and at the bare surroundings.  There was one bed on the far left, a very small dresser on the far right and a small bare nightstand right next to the bed.  His brows knitted in confusion.

            "Where's the bathroom?"

            "There are two bathrooms on each branch of the hallway including the main one.  We haven't had too many problems with crowding.  Also everything in there that you need is plastic."  Before he even had a chance to ask she answered him.  "If you want a shave or need a haircut go down to the last branch and go to the end.  It's a nurse's office for if you're ever hurt and he also gives nice shaves I heard."  'God he's probably a freaking psycho pedophile,' he thought nervously just picturing what tortures could happen to him.  "Also at 9, noon, and five we serve meals in the common room.  If you're hungry in between go and see the doctor, he can usually help you out.  Anyway I'll talk to you before dinner about your scheduled sessions and you can just feel free to explore until then."  She put a hand on his shoulder and led him into his room before grabbing the door and turning to go.  "Bye now."  With that she shut his door and left him there with his one bag.

            'Wow how nice my own padded room,' he thought sarcastically.

            He flipped over an eight of hearts and pit it over the seven of hearts and was able to flip the rest of his deck over the four top piles.  'I win again,' he thought with a sigh.'  He looked around the pale white room wondering if he brushed his hair over his face and stood against the wall if anyone would see him.  He had donned the white hospital clothing before he left the other hospital and that was all his small dresser contained.  After he had put his few (very few) things away he sat down and played a few (dozen) hands of solitaire and it was still only 2:45.  'Damn I'm so bored I think I might just explore this place.'  He lazily wondered down the corridors until he came to the main one with the woman at the front desk who nodded to him. He looked down the longer corridor and was sure he saw that same brown and white blur he'd seen from earlier.  'I know I lost a lot of blood but I don't think I should be hallucinating.'  He continued to follow the blur back to the session hall and turned to see it go into the common room.  'Following the white rabbit deeper into the rabbit hole,' he thought and mentally smirked but kept his real face impassive.

            He made it into the common room and heard a bit of the commotion in the far corner and saw a small TV he hadn't noticed before, probably barely 15 Inches lighting up with colors and sounds of techno.  Small arrows were zooming by the screen at an incredible pace.  He looked to who held the controller and recognized the brown and white blur he'd been chasing.  She was about 5'6 or so from just looking her up or down with short brown hair and really blue eyes which was surprising for a Japanese person.  'I wonder if she's a bit foreign.'  She held the ps2 controller and not only was she jamming away on the buttons but was on her feet dancing as well.  'Guess the hospitals to cheep for dance pads.  Too bad she's pretty good.'

            He saw her finish slamming on the buttons and quickly twirl to face his direction and gave a bow with her eyes closed.  When she opened them and saw him staring at her her eyes went wide and she backed up a bit.  He was a bit confused by this but put on that smile he had been giving everyone else.  She now seemed a little sad, not sad, but sympathetic?  'Sympathy?  Why would I need sympathy?'  He was now a bit agitated but didn't let it show and started walking towards her but as he got to about five feet in front of her she started backing away.  He stopped and so did she.

            "I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you.  I was just watching you dance and you're really good."  She smiled and nodded at that apparently pleased.  'Wait a second why am I even here?  I don't talk to people unless I have to.  So why am I talking to her?'  He seemed confused by his own actions.  He had never really had a chance to make his own friends with his brother around and after a while he never really felt the need to try and make friends with people, so why was he talking to her voluntarily? 

            "Umm I'm new here my name is Ryou, what's your name?"  She pulled out a blue erasable marker and wrote something on her hand and held it up for him to see.  "Anzu, that's your name?"  She nodded happily.  "But why didn't you just say it?"  She spit on her hand and wiped it on her shirt leaving a blue smudge before writing on it again.  'Gross.'  She held up her hand again with the simple phrase 'Don't speak.'  "You don't speak?"  She nodded again but this time slower.  "But why?"  She seemed get sadder at her question.  'Must be why she's here.'  "Ahh never mind sorry I asked."  'Great now I feel like an idiot trying to get a mute talk.'  He turned and was about to walk back to his room to win at solitaire again when he head something at his feet.  He looked down to see a second ps2 controller.  He looked back to her, she was still keeping a good five foot distance but she was smiling and pointing at her own controller.  "You want me to play?  Umm sorry but I don't know how."  A frown came upon her face but before he could set the controller down she quickly pressed a few buttons and there seemed to be an instruction screen in front of him. She pointed to it and smiled as he looked baffled.  'Sheesh doesn't she get it?  I don't want to play.'  He mentally sighed and went through the tutorial.

            He quickly picked up the basics and she looked at him happily as she went to regular game mode.  She picked what he hoped was an easy level.  Well at least his side of the screen was easy. 'I guess individual players can choose their own level on the song,' he thought as arrows just seemed to zoom past her screen.  He messed up quite a few times but ended up getting a C in the end.  She scribbled something on her hand hastily and held it up.  'Ur Good!' 

            "Nah I just have beginners luck."  She shook her head saying no and smiled at him once again holding the hand up.  They played a few more rounds before he looked up and saw it was about 4:30.  'Oh yeah wasn't Mai supposed to drop by?'  "Anzu," he said grabbing her attention from the game.  "I gotta go," he said and stood up with the controller.  He began walking towards her with it to hand it to her but she continued to play the five feet of distance game and he sighed. "Oh yeah sorry forgot you don't like me getting close.  He set the controller on the ground and slid it over to her.  "Thanks for the game."  He waved and headed back for his room.  Sure enough Mai was sitting there waiting for him.

            "Having fun," she asked as he came into the room.

            "Sorry I was just playing this dancing game with this girl and kind of forgot." 

            "Dancing game, you mean with Anzu?" 

            "Anzu?  Yeah that was it, is she your patient too?"  He sat down on the bed as she continued to stand next to it.

            "Yes she is, but she let you play the game?"

            "Umm yeah is there a problem with that?"  Mai seemed to be in shock but shook her head no.  "Umm if you can, can you tell me why she likes to keep her distance?"

            "I can't really say a lot but I can tell you she's an abuse case and she may interact with you but she doesn't let people get near her.  But we should be talking about you.  I have you set up for sessions with me on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, all at 2 PM in room 107.  Then I have you scheduled for group sessions on Monday and Friday at 4 PM that's in room 115.  If you miss a session without a good excuse such as an illness in which the doctor has to confirm your illness then you will be punished.  Punishments here can range from washing dishes to white washing entire rooms or even being confined to your room for days.  I don't mean to scare or intimidate you but I just want to tell you the ground rules.  Anyway looks like dinner is about ready."  She got up and left the room.  "I'll see you tomorrow."  She quietly left the room as he sat there trying to remember what room he was supposed to go to when he looked at his night stand which had a note with them already written down.  He sweat-dropped.  'Well at least I don't have to worry about that.'  He quickly got up and made his way towards the dinning room.  He was about to make his way down the main hallway when he heard a muffled groan coming from the yard area. 

            'It's probably nothing.  I shouldn't concern myself.'  But even as he said this he felt his feet pulling him towards the yard.  'What am I doing?  Going to play hero?'  He was annoyed with himself but tried not to let it show as he made his way into the yard.  He searched the surrounding area but didn't see anyone and was about to leave when he heard a rattling noise coming from the far corner where a bunch of bushes blocked his view.  He made his way over and slid behind the row of bushes and was surprised to see the girl he had met earlier.  She was scrunched up against the gate with three boys within her five foot area.  Her eyes were red with tears as they continued to advance.

            "You can't ignore us now!"

"You're so stuck up, you won't talk to anyone, you stay as far away from anything living and you won't even let us share your stupid game!"  Said game was clenched in the third boys hand as he threw it to the ground.  The girl reached out a hand but didn't move the rest of her body as his foot came down on it and smashed the small disk in two.

"Now no one gets to play," snorted the third one.  'What the hell these kids look way younger then either her or I.  Why the hell would she take that from them?!  Is she going to just sit there and do nothing?'  He turned around and fully intended to just walk away and leave her there.  But then he remembered how even though she didn't talk she was the first person to really greet him.  She was even patient with him as he struggled to learn her game.  Hell it sounded like he was privileged if what those guys said about her not sharing was true.  He mentally sighed.  'If she was a guy I'd just let this be, but no she had to be a girl.'  He turned around and came up behind the boys but still keeping his distance from the girl.  He picked two of the boys up by the backs of their shirts and tossed them back behind him.

"Hey?!"

"Who the hell are you," the disgruntled boys on the ground yelled.

"Leave her alone."  'Damn kids are so annoying no wonder she doesn't wanna hang around with you spoiled brats!'  He stood up to his full height in the bush and it seemed to intimidate the two he threw to the ground, they took off pretty quickly growling threats.  He turned to see the third boy glaring at him and was more then a bit agitated.  'What I wouldn't give just to glare right back.'  Instead he just held his gaze.  The kid just snorted with a smirk on his face and elbowed his way past Ryou.  'Stupid brats how could she just let them do that to her?'  He looked down at the disk on the ground and sighed, it was snapped completely in half, no way she'd be able to play it now.

"Are you ok," he asked and almost took a step forward but remembered she liked to keep her distance.  She wiped her eyes and stood up with dirt on her face and cloths and nodded her head.  "Well…umm…dinners ready, want to walk with me?"  She put on a weak smile for him as he turned and started walking towards the hallway.  'At least when she smiles it's a real smile,' he thought and mentally sighed.  He heard her footsteps but was a bit confused on how they sounded.  He turned around and sure enough she was only about 2 or 3 feet behind him instead of the five with a big smile plastered on her face.  He blushed and quickly turned away making his way towards the dinning hall.  'Well what did I expect?  Welcome Ryou, and this here is your padded room where you'll be locked away for ever," he thought to himself sarcastically and couldn't help but let part of his mouth twitch up if only slight and for a second to let him smirk. 

AN:  What ya think?  And for a while it will be just Anzu and Ryou in here but the rest of the cast will eventually come in.  And before anyone says it yes I know Malik and Marik are a bit more psycho but no they're not going to be patients.  Anyway thanks for reading!


	3. First Session

AN: Sorry this took so long to get out but I usually have to be in a pretty angsty mood to do this one so this one may not be updated that regularly, and sorry this is so short.  Anyway this was really hard to write because I've been battling writer's block as well.  So please tell me what you think.  Thanks for reading!

Disclaimer: I no own Yugioh, though I wish I owned two certain white haired bishies!  I'll just have to settle for plushies for now.

"Leave Sanity at the Door"

Chapter 3:  "First Session"

He made his way into the room and saw Mai sitting in a chair lounging almost in a lazy manner as he came in.  She looked up and smiled at him.  "Hello Ryou, why don't you take a seat?"  He looked around and saw one of those beds people usually lay on, a chair that looked really cushy like the one she was in and a blow up neon green chair. 

"Umm…"

"Doesn't matter which, pick any one you like."  He looked at the chair that looked much like her own.  Sure enough it was as soft and comfortable as it looked.  But at the same time it felt like he was being sucked in to the chair and he had to shift his position until he also took up a lazy looking position with one leg on left arm rest and one arm draped over the right.  Mai couldn't help but chuckle.

"So umm what exactly do I do," asked Ryou politely.

"Talk."  'No shit Sherlock,' he thought crossly.  He was still a bit more then ticked about being there.

"About what?"

"Whatever comes to your mind.  Or if you like I can think up some topics."

"Umm I guess that would be ok," he said with a slight smile, fake as ever, on his face.

"What are you feeling right now?"  'Annoyed and confused.'

"Umm I'm pretty comfortable but still uneasy about all of this."  'He's still lying, I need to get around that some how,' she thought as she looked over at the young man draped across the chair. 

"What's your favorite color?"  'What the hell,' he thought his annoyance growing.

"Umm…blue."

"When's your birthday?"  'Urge to kill…rising.'

"September 10th" (AN:  I couldn't find his birthday, if anyone knows please tell me)

"What's your favorite pop "  'Its Soda damnit!' (AN: It's POP!)

"Coke."

"Plain Coke?"  'No I like coke and rum,' he thought sarcastically.

"Yes plain Coke," he continued in his cheerful voice but she could tell she was annoying him.

"What is your favorite season?"  'Hmm no sarcastic remark for this...'

"Summer."

"Your favorite element?"  'Fire, so I can make annoying people like you spontaneously combust.'

"Water, it's really calming and soothing."  The questions and answers were flying back and forth quickly between doctor and patient and she was ready to put her plan into action.  'It's now or never.'

"How long do you plan to keep this façade up?"  He opened his mouth to reply but quickly bit it back.  His smile faded but did not become a frown.  "You're annoyed, you want me to stop asking stupid questions and get to business so you can do what you have to and get back to your 'normal life.'"  'Being so direct in this case is risky.  I could make him retreat even further.  But this kid needs a real push to come out of it if I want to make any progress.'  "You lie to yourself and others to make them happy and don't let others know how you really feel then you bottle your feelings up inside until you can't take it and it comes out in…unexpected ways."  She looked over the scars on his arms that she could see.  "You need to give it up.  I now you're lying and until you're truthful with me I can't let you go or even give you the courtesy of visitors.  Which you may think isn't so bad, but I know for a fact your brother is missing you."  She saw a pang of pain go through his facial features as she mentioned his brother.  "You're not doing any good just bottling this up.  It's ok to just say what you mean; sincerity is much more appreciated then lying to make others feel better."

"I'm sorry but I don't know what you mean," he said with that smile coming back full force.  "If people really wanted sincerity over a lie then why does it seem people who lie and cheat get farther then those who are honest?  And on another note I've never exactly had a normal life to look forward to.  Then again you being the doctor should know that normal doesn't really exist.  It is only a word used to make people either feel better about themselves or make others feel bad about themselves.  And I do not lie to myself.  I know exactly how I feel and don't mind it.  But I will not be forced to tell my feelings and thoughts to others," he said with the smile still on his face but with a hint of malice in his voice which really creeped her out.  He slowly got to his feet.  "And I do believe I should take my leave now."  He was almost to the door when she stopped him.

"You say you don't want to share your thoughts with others, or is it just you'd rather bend to the will of others.  Next time you should sit in the chair you actually want instead of the one I think is comfortable."  He had no response to that and quietly left.  'Damn bitch doesn't know what she's talking about!  She doesn't know me!  She doesn't know how I feel!  I'm not a puzzle to be solved!' (AN: Sorry couldn't help myself)  He was furious at the intrusion to what he thought were private thoughts.  He didn't even notice the pair of cerulean eyes watching him and following after him.

'His first session with Mai…I wonder how he's feeling.  He doesn't look upset, but…he somehow seems annoyed.  I wonder if I could cheer him up somehow.'  She sat in thought for a minute as he made his way to his room before cheering up and heading for her own.  'I just know that will take his mind off of whatever's bothering him.' 

He was pretty sure this was a record.  It was now five and he had been glaring at the wall for just a bit over two hours strait.  Of course he always hid it when his hourly visit to make sure he was all right came along.  The people at this institute were very lucky he didn't have any kind of telekinetic powers or this place would have been nothing but a pile of ashes by then.  He watched as someone came by and announced dinner.  He got up putting his smile in place before going to the dinning room to eat.  He sat at a table in the far left corner near the window.  He looked over the table in the opposite corner where the boys from yesterday sat leering at him.  They hadn't tried anything since the incident but had been giving him dirty looks ever since.  He looked up as Anzu came and sat next to him.

"Good evening Anzu," he replied cheerily.  She smiled and nodded which he took as a greeting.  She had eaten with him the day before yesterday too which had gotten them many stares.  Apparently she was a lot harder to get close to then he thought.  Before they started eating she wrote something on her pad.

'Can you come to my room after dinner?'

"Huh?"  This had caught him very off guard.

'I want to give you something to thank you for yesterday.'  He once again couldn't help but feel dumbfounded as to why he helped her again but smiled at her and tried to wave it off.

"It's fine; I don't want anything for it."  She sighed.

'OK fine, I noticed you seemed annoyed when you left your session today and want to cheer you up.  Please come?'  He nearly dropped his fork.  'What the hell is she talking about?  She couldn't have noticed!  If my own brother couldn't notice something like that how the hell could she?!'  He felt such anger rise up in him he wasn't sure if he could keep it together.

"I'm sorry I don't know what you mean."  She looked a bit frightened as he still had a smile plastered to his face but his voice was a deadly monotone that she knew right away was a sign she had stepped too far into his space.  "I'm not that hungry.  I think I'll go to bed.  Maybe you could show that to me some other time."  He got up to leave and she desperately wanted him to Stay.  To call out to him, to make him stop.  But her voice was gone…it may never come back.  Ever since that day at school…She felt panic run through her body as images from that day flashed before her eyes as well as the panic from watching the boy walk away and wanting to stop him.  To say she was sorry.  To not have him mad at her.

He turned quickly as he felt something, no someone, handing onto his sleeve.  He turned as the gasps grew louder and he turned to see the girl tugging on the sleeve to his shirt her face down, her one hand shaking and holding a piece of paper like it was her life line.  She quickly shoved it into his hands and took off for her room.  He looked down at the paper before unfolding it and reading it.  'I'm sorry.  Please come…room 307.'

She fell face down on her bed as she gulped for air trying to control her breathing.  Her breaths were coming out in gasps as she fought back the tears and the choking sobs.  'How is this happening?  Who is he?  How is it I've known him maybe two days and I can't help but want to be near him.'  She thought back to the first time she saw him being guided through the halls by Mai.  Her cheeks went scarlet as the most beautiful person she was sure she had ever seen had turned to ask Mai something.  His hair was as white as snow, and his soft brown eyes held something mystical in them.  But she felt her heart clench as she looked at his smile.  'It was so fake.  He was hurting so much and just wanted to let it out…but he can't.  Maybe that's why he's having this effect on me.  We're so similar yet so different.  He hides his emotions so people will accept him.  I don't talk so people will leave me alone.'  She sighed and rolled over to look at the present she had lying on her night stand.  'Please let him come.  I don't want him mad at me.  It's been so long…since I've actually wanted someone to notice me.'

She sat up quickly as she heard someone at her door.  His dark eyes all but burned into her own.  But not in a bad way, in a way that showed interest.  If not talking for months at a time had taught her one thing.  It was how to read people without them saying a thing.  She smiled and pointed to the other side of the bed as he came in and took a seat on the end.

"The woman at the desk said you gave her a note letting me come over to visit you."  Anzu gave him a look that clearly asked why he came.  He looked her over as if analyzing her down to her last stand of hair.  'Who is this person?  How does she read me better then even my family?  Why is it she is getting so close to me when she supposedly hasn't let anyone near her in months?'  This last question was the one that had been ringing in his mind for a while.  He so desperately wanted to ask but couldn't.  'That wouldn't be polite.  But why me?  Why does she intrigue me so?'  "I'm sorry if I upset you at dinner. I didn't mean to be rude.  So what did you want to show me?"  She picked up a deck of cards and handed it to him.  "Duel monsters?"  She nodded as he went through the cards one by one examining each.

'He may not have openly admitted that he was mad.  But I think I can accept his answer.'  She smiled as she brought out her own deck.  'And maybe if he's willing to ask his question…I just may answer him.'

AN:  How was it?  Bad?  Good?  Horrid?   I wasn't sure with this chapter and you'll learn more about Anzu in later chapters.  Anyway thanks for reading and please review!


	4. Anzu’s Session

AN:  Sorry it took so long to get this out but you would not believe how busy I've been.  I had a convention last week I had to get ready for so I had absolutely no free time.  That and I'm like this close holds fingers very close together to getting another doujin done.  It's the author notes that are taking me forever, why do they have to write a paragraph for only a few pages…I'm being a hypocrite aren't I?  Anyway expect that out in the next couple days.  Also for those still asking if you want to find the site the doujinshi search for profiles on ff.net for: scarletmoolitght it'll be on her site.  Anyway hope that helps and read my end notes -  Hope you enjoy!

Japanese:

Gomenne = sorry with female ending on it (meaning only girls use it)

Konnichi wa  = hello

Sumimasen = sorry

Gomen = sorry (normal form)

Disclaimer: I no own Yugioh, though I wish I owned two certain white haired bishies!  I'll just have to settle for plushies for now.

"Leave Sanity At The Door"

Chapter 4:  "Anzu's session"

She quietly entered the room and nodded to the blond woman who was sitting in a swivel black leather chair near the window glancing out.  She cleared her throat to get the woman's attention and knew she had it even if the woman's gaze didn't shift from the window.  "It's getting so warm out, it's the beginning of July, in another month is your birthday right," Mai said turning to look at her patient.  Anzu nodded, wondering what she was going to do if she were still stuck here when her birthday came around and felt a pang in her chest.  "Don't worry about it Anzu, I'm sure they'll let you at least have visitors on your birthday," she said with a reassuring smile.  Anzu took her usual seat in the love seat looking thing and picked up the dry erase white board and marker Mai always left out for her before their sessions.  Mai always tried to get her to talk but knew her limitations and left the board for her each time.

"So how have you been sleeping?  Any more nightmares or restless sleep?"  Anzu quickly jotted down something on the board in red pen.

=Nightmares sometimes but not often.  Maybe once every few weeks.  But I've been off sleeping medication for about a few weeks now.=  She held it up for Mai to read before erasing it and writing something else. 

=I've been sleeping but a lot of the time it's restless.  But lately…=  She wasn't sure if she should finish her sentence and Mai saw her hesitance but waited before the girl put up the board and noticed the missing end of the sentence.  Mai mentally smirked.  'If this was any other place or time I'd try to play matchmaker with the two.'  She almost grinned but held it in, but Anzu could tell she was pleased with something and wanted to be let in on it.

"I see you're not using the blue marker like you usually do."  Anzu blushed at her comment.  Ever since the sessions had started she always had a wide variety of markers for her to use but she always used blue, being as it was her favorite and for some reason a comfort and because of it they had gone through a couple dozen blues already in the last few months.  "Red is the color of passion you know."  Anzu's face immediately became a darker red then even the marker and she scrawled out sloppily 'Shut up!'  "Gomenne, I don't mean to tease."  Anzu nodded in acceptance as her face slowly faded to a normal color again.

"But I do have to ask, in all seriousness," she said her tone showing she was in no way kidding.  "Are you becoming closer with him?"  They both knew exactly who _he_ was, everyone in the center had seen the scene at dinner yesterday and the news had spread like wildfire.  Unfortunately it had gotten Anzu some unwanted attention and some boys had been bothering her earlier trying to get close to her.  Luckily for her Ryou had come and gotten them to leave her alone.  She sighed in disappointment remembering he still had that fake smile on his face and was still extremely polite.  Not that being polite was bad but not if it wasn't sincere.

"Anzu," yelled Mai finally getting the girl's attention.  "You went off in lala land, mind sharing?"  Anzu nodded quickly relaying the information she was just thinking.

"So I'm not the only one noticing?"  Anzu nodded.  "It's funny, in your session we seem to only be focusing on him.  While in his session he continues to try and focus on you."  She noticed the girl's blush and tried not to push her.  "Have you started remembering any more about that night?"  Anzu visibly flinched but Mai took it in stride.  What Anzu had was commonly referred to as psychological amnesia.  Her traumatic experience had caused her brain to shut out that memory to save Anzu from the trauma.  But because of that Anzu didn't know her attacker, she was left victimized and the fact that she didn't even know why made it worse.  She had become mute at the same time.  At first they thought it had something to do with her voice, something with her voice would trigger the memory.  But now the only one who still fully believed that was Mai. 

Doctors had tried for the first week to get her to talk, to get her to come close to them, and anything else they could think of.  But they all gave up and Mai quickly took her into her care.  Even after all of these months she had yet to get any closer to Anzu.  Anzu trusted her as far as she could tell but she was still hesitant when it came to physical contact.  But now after what happened yesterday with Ryou….Anzu was still silent as Mai looked over at the girl.  "Nothing new at all?  Try just slowly easing your mind back to that night.  You got there around seven." 

Anzu nodded her head as she imagined a clock across the street on a building switching to 7:07 PM.  "You went in the back door."  Anzu nodded her head as the memory got fuzzier as she opened the back door of a large building probably large enough for some kind of concert.  "You went down the main hall to the third room on the right."  Anzu nodded again as the vision got fuzzier as she went and she opened the door on the right and once again her mind was faced with a darkened figure with long hair.  "You see a figure; can you tell me anything about them?"

She kept her eyes closed and scribbled =Tall, long hair= like she always did.  She sighed in exasperation as the figure seemed just out of her reach.  'I wish someone would help me…I wish Ryou-kun.'  She felt herself blush at the thought.  'Why would I ask him for help?' 

'Help,' the word seemed to echo in her mind and something happened.  The image in her head shifted. Her brows furrowed over her closed lids as the face became sharper.  The figures eyes came into focus.  Her own eyes shot open and Mai looked on as Anzu quickly scribbled something down.  =Eyes, his eyes are two colors, gold and sea green!=

"Anzu?"  Anzu felt her hand shake as she held the marker in her hand.  'What is going on?  How did I remember that?'  She looked down at the board on her lap as a small droplet of water hit and splashed on part of her words.  'Tears?  Why am I…crying?'  She lifted her hand to her face as another ran down her cheek taking the same fall the one before had.  She held back the sob in her throat as those eyes seemed to burn into her soul.  She felt an arm around her, for the first time in months someone was touching her, holding her…and it felt good.  'Someone help.'  She cried into Mai's chest as the image faded and she felt a bit of her heart stir.

He sighed as he folded up the 47 cards in his deck in a white bandana and put the extra 14 cards on his night stand.  He wasn't very good at the game but he enjoyed it.  She had given him all of her extra cards yesterday and he had played with all of them but there were some extra cards in there that did absolutely nothing.  Mostly magic or ritual summon cards for cards he didn't have.  So he had went through and taken out any cards he couldn't use.  'If I could get a hold of Bakura I could probably have a better deck.'  He knew for a fact his brother was very into the game and probably had some good cards he could use.  'How typical,' he thought almost disgusted.  'Anytime I need any help I always think of _him_.'  Despite how the word was used with loathing he couldn't help the pain that clutched at his heart.  'No matter how much I hate relying on him I miss him.  I wonder what he's doing now.'  He looked over at the clock on the wall to see '4:26' on the wall.  'Hmm I wonder if Anzu's out of session yet.'  He shook the thought from his head.  'Why should I care when she gets out.  I shouldn't be relying on her or anyone else!'  He sighed and flopped back on his bed.

"What is she doing to me?"  'I wonder why she's even in here.  What happened to make her loose her voice?  I wish she would tell me.'  He sat up quickly as he mentally cursed himself for thinking of her again.  'I'm just looking for someone to lean on now that my brother is gone, I have to stop that!'  He sighed and looked at the ceiling as if it would have the answers to all of his questions.  'Or is it really like that?  I'm so exhausted all the time, at least at home I didn't have to be cheery when I went and locked myself in my room.  The only time I had to be like that was at school or the few times I went out with my brother.  But here it's so tiring.' 

He leaned back on his bed letting it hit the pillow with a soft thud.  'Maybe a nap before dinner will help.'  He let his eyes slowly drift closed before a knock on the door sounded him to an intruder in his domain of silence.  He looked up with a bright smile at the nurse who sat at the table dividing the two sections of the 'dorms.'  "Konnichi wa," he said warmly getting a smile from her.

"Konnichi wa," she said returning the friendly reply.  "Sumimasen for disturbing you but I have someone who asked if she could visit you?"  'There's only one person who would want to visit me.  I should tell her no and just take my nap I'm too tired for this.'  He looked over at the nurse still smiling as he held it in place.  He closed his eyes as he internally fought over a polite way to turn her down when _her_ face popped into his head again.  He cursed in his head and quickly replied.  "Sure, let her in please."  'Damnit why did I do that?!  I'm so tired.'

He waited a minute trying to keep his annoyance to a minimum as she came in the door, and his attitude then did a complete 180.  She had tear streaks down her face, her face was dry now but it was apparent she'd been crying quite hard recently.  Which made her appearance all the more questionable as she had a huge smile plastered on he face.  She waved her hand in a gesture of a greeting before walking into the room and stopping a few feet in front of the bed. 

"Hello Anzu, did you just get out of your session?"  She nodded again before pulling something out of her pocket.  He looked at the deck in her hand.  "Do you want to play a game?"  She nodded affirmative again.  She sat at the end of the bed at started shuffling as he took out his deck and did the same.  He looked over at her and saw her trying to be happy but saw it may not hold for much longer.  "Anzu is something wrong," he asked politely.  She shook her head in the negative but stopped as a tear trickled down her cheek.  She looked up a bit shocked as her hand went to her own face and wiped away the offending tear.  But another soon followed in its place, and another.  Ryou took on a shocked look as she started openly crying, her forgotten deck lying on his bed. 

"A-anzu, gomen I didn't mean-" But his words couldn't console her shaking form.  "Please tell me what's wrong, maybe I can help you," he said cheerily.  'I don't know what the hell to do to console a crying girl.  I'm not good at these things.'  She looked up at his smiling face and felt disgusted.  He still had on that fake smile while she knew he was uncomfortable and wasn't sure what to do.  She whipped out her pad of paper and pen and quickly wrote out =KNOCK IT OFF!=

"Knock what off?  What's wrong Anzu?"  He was getting genuinely worried now.  The girl didn't seem all there at the moment.  She scribbled something out for him again.

=Stop faking I know you don't know what to do and would rather not deal with it.  So just stop, if you want me to leave just tell me!=  He looked at her a bit shocked. 

"I don't want you to leave," he said in all seriousness his voice growing more monotone, which was as close as he usually got to being angry.  "Fine I don't know what to do but that doesn't mean I don't want to help you."

=You can't help me!  I can't even help myself!=

"Please, what's that supposed to mean," his voice letting out a bit of frustration as his face gave away no signs of how he was really feeling.  She sat there for a minute her note pad in front of her and her pen hanging limply in her right hand.  'Do I dare tell him what happened to me?  Do I dare trust someone with my wellbeing again?'  She looked up at him trying to read him as his outward appearance wouldn't tell her and anyone else of how he really felt. 

=I can't even protect myself.  I've avoided and stayed away from everyone because I can't protect myself, I couldn't before and I can't now.  How can someone who is afraid to let others know what he feels or even wants help me?=  Her questioning had taken him aback as she sat there tears still streaming down her face, her eyes red and puffy as she sniffled almost silently.  She looked like the weight of the world had just been dropped on her shoulders and she hadn't a friend in the world to help her.

'Who cares how I really feel?  Why does anyone need to know?!  And why me?  Why does she always try to get close to me?  And most of all…why do I want her to get close to me?  I mean…I want…to see her happy.  I want the both of us to get out of here.  I want to see my brother again.  I want to see her happy.  I want…'  "I want to protect you."   Her head shot up as his small voice seemed to hold so much desperation in it.  She looked up and for that moment in time, even if it was only then, she saw his real face and she saw his need…

Her face flushed at that look and she felt her heart fluttering in her rib cage as his brown eyes which were once dull were now so vibrant and tender.  Is white hair framing and shading his face giving him a mysterious look.  She saw the real him that had been hidden for so long.  But at the astounded look on her face he quickly noticed what he was doing and reverted back to his 'normal' face.  But even when he tried to hide it, his eyes…his eyes spoke volumes.

She let a small smile creep over her face before bringing the pen up.  =I…I would like that.=  She saw as he slowly lifted his hand and made no move to stop him, only watching in astonishment as he reached over and she felt her face flush as he took her own hand in his and brought it to his lips before he looked up once again and smiled at her.  Not the fake smile she had seen so many times before or that he showed any one else.  But a real smile, a smile just for her.

AN:  I have a special treat for the first person to correctly guess who that guy in Anuz's vision is.  I'm scanning the rest of the raw Bakura/Anzu doujin I have and I'll let you pick the next one you want me to translate.  Also do you think I'm moving too fast in this?  I wasn't sure; I like the pace but tell me what you think?  Anyway back to translating, damn AN! LOL, hope you enjoyed!


	5. Trust

1 3225 18383 153 43 21565 10.2625 Clean Clean te mso 9]> Amber Normal Amber 1 23 2004-07-22T16:33:00Z 2004-07-22T17:02:00Z 1 3225 18383 153 43 21565 10.2625 Clean Clean MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 

AN:  Sorry it took so long for this to get out but I've been a bit busy doing this tape trade thing to get some yugioh episodes.  Anyway Sakura Mitsukai got it right on guessing who it was.  Though the thought if it being Pegasus is more scary.  Anyway sorry if it took me so long to update but to tell you the truth time just seems to be going a lot faster then I thought.  I'm hoping to get this and my other fic done before summer is over.  Also Sakura Mitsukai picked the next doujin and it's already finished and going to be posted on scarlet moonlights website along with the other's I have.  If you want check my prof for the site.  Anyway sorry about it taking so long and I hope you enjoy it!

Japanese:

Sensei – Doctor

Disclaimer: I no own Yugioh, though I wish I owned two certain white haired bishies!  I'll just have to settle for plushies for now.

"Leave Sanity At The Door"

Chapter 5:  "Trust"

Anzu groggily brought herself out of bed the next morning.  She hadn't been able to sleep a wink last night because all she could think of was him…and those eyes.  She slapped herself in the forehead as she felt the familiar heat make its way across her cheeks.  'Hold it together Anzu.  He probably just wants to be friends; he doesn't want to see you sad…'  She thought back to that look he had given her.  'But those eyes.'  She looked up as she heard someone walking passed her door and figured now was better then any time to get up and around.  She grabbed some clean cloths before heading to one of the bathrooms.  She was in luck as it wasn't in use.  Most of the girls here were friendly enough, and some even shared their bathroom time when it got crowded but they also gave her the space she wanted.  Just because she let one person get close to her did not mean any one else was able to gain that level of respect from her.

She walked in and quickly showered thankful for her short hair.  She used to have long hair but it was so much maintenance that when she came here she had it cut short.  That and she liked the feel of the wind on her neck.  She stepped out of the bathroom and quickly dried and dressed before dropping her dirty cloths in a plastic bin in her room next to the door.  She sighed as she looked at the almost over flowing bin.  It was still a day away from laundry day; they only did it once a week.  She looked at her clock and noticed she had missed breakfast and it was still a bit early for lunch.  'Well it has been a while since I visited Sensei…'  She made her way down to the doctor's office.

The doctor's office was connected to both the girls and boys sections on either side of the office.  It was the only other area in the dorms besides the front desk that was connected.  Though she had heard of certain people whose dorms were on the other side of the wall trying to talk through the vents.  'Yeah now if only I could talk.'  The doctor's door, as always, was open so she knocked on the open door to get his attention.

"Oh, Anzu.  It's been a while since I saw you here.  What can I do for you today?"  She pulled out a pen and wrote on her hand.  In all honesty she preferred to write on her hand.  The board was only used when she knew she would need to explain something, meaning when she was upset.

=Food= was scrawled upon the hand she held up for him.

"Oh missed breakfast?  We have some yogurt, or some rice balls, or we even have some cup of ramen now too.  But for most of that-" She nodded her understanding.  After an attack someone made with a plastic fork no food that required any kind of silverware or that was in a container was allowed out of the room and had to be eaten there.  She quickly rubbed her hand off on her shirt leaving a nice smudge, she tried not to smirk as she remembered being reprimanded countless times by the janitorial services for doing that, before she quickly wrote down =ramen=.

"We have beef, chicken, or shrimp."  Her eyes watered in delight, shrimp was her favorite and she hadn't been able to have any since she had come to this place.

=SHRIMP!=  He chuckled as she waved her hand enthusiastically. 

"Shrimp it is then.  He went to the back room where most of the snacks were held.  She looked around the larger office.  It had a larger bathroom area to your left when you entered from the girls' area for things like shaving.  She felt so embarrassed at how she and any other girls wishing to shave their legs had to be watched.  Once again something so simple and private was taken away because someone had attempted an attack with a stolen razor blade.  Right next to it was the actual infirmary with drugs, bandages, and beds for those who were under the weather. 

Then there were two rooms on the right when you came in.  The first was the stock room with basic things like snacks and extra bandages, sheets and pillows for the infirmary.  Then the room next to that was the little open room with a few chairs and tables for those who had to stay to eat.  She looked up as he came out of the storage area with a steaming cup of ramen.  She had almost forgotten the microwave was also in the storage room.  He put some chop sticks and the ramen on a table and took a few steps back so she could approach and take the food before bowing in thanks and walking into the other room.

She sat in the corner of the room so if anyone else came in to eat they wouldn't have to try and get around her.  Most of the people there knew about her and wanting space so they tried to comply.  Of course there was the exception, she grimaced as she remembered those kids and her game…she shook the thought from her head as thinking of that reminded her of the first time he had really spoken to her.  She sighed blissfully as she sat down and inhaled the scent making her almost drool in delight.  She pulled the chopsticks apart and quickly slurped up her first bit of ramen in months.

He picked up the last few cards on his bed and put them back in his deck before setting them on his table.  He looked up at the clock again and sighed.  He'd been up since 7 AM after he couldn't really get to sleep.  Since then he'd been going through and redoing his deck repeatedly until now when other things took priority.  His stomach growled again and he didn't really think he could wait for lunch.  It wasn't that his deck needed it or that he didn't have anything better to do.  He was more or less trying to avoid a certain subject, or more like it, a certain person.  He mentally groaned before putting his head in his hands still trying to keep a straight face.

'Why did I say what I did yesterday?  I'm such an idiot!  I said I would protect her, but protect her from what?!  Why did I even get involved?  I was perfectly fine on my own.'  He mentally sighed and felt frustrated as he tried to keep a stoic face and made his way to the doctor's office.  He mentally sighed once again remembering he had an appointment today with Mai.  He definitely was not looking forward to another 'session' with her.  That and her was very nervous about the upcoming group session on Friday.  Group sessions were where they got a bunch of people with the same problem together to talk about it.  If that was the truth then putting a bunch of people just like him together in a room would probably result in someone popping.  He knocked on the door and made his way into the doctor's office.  He wasn't sure what to expect.

The room seemed to be empty with four different doors, two on the left, two on the right, and one at the opposite end that was opened.  "Hello?  Anyone here?"  The door on the far left opened and out came an older looking man with graying hair and a graying mustache with a slight tan.

"Hello there.  You must be new here.  I'm Doctor Hopkins (AN: I like him so he's making an appearance)."  Ryou put on his best smile and bowed slightly.

"Hello I'm Ryou Bakura.  Nice to meet you."

"Such a polite young man, not many like you around here.  What can I do for you?"

"Thank you," he said smiling trying to look embarrassed by the compliment.  'Working in a mental ward I wouldn't doubt that you meet a whole lot of polite people,' he thought sarcastically.  "I was actually wondering about getting something to eat.  I believe I was told if I wanted something in between any of the meals to come here."  He rubbed the back of his head in a shy manner.

"Kids and missing meals, really.  Anyway we just got some ramen in, some yogurt, some chips, and some rice balls just to name some of the more popular snacks."

"Umm some ramen sounds good."

"We have beef, chicken, and shrimp."  He raised his eyebrows at the last comment.  "Looks like we have another shrimp fan."     

"Huh?"

"Just seems to be popular today.  Be right back."  He took in the room and tried to sort through his thoughts.  'What the hell do I say to her when I finally do see her again?  After yesterday I don't know what to do or say around her…how could I say something like that?  It was so unlike me.'  He was brought back from his reverie as the doctor came back with the a steaming bowl and some chopsticks. 

"You're new here so you probably don't know, but any food involving silver wear or a container of any kind needs to be eaten in here, this room here is for eating," he said pointing to the door to his right.  "Don't worry there's only one other person."  Ryou took the cup from his hand and turned to go into the room.

"Thank you."  'Maybe this will give me some time to think about what to do about Anzu,' he thought as he stepped into the room.  His eyes became the size as dinner plates as he looked into the room and saw the very person he didn't want to see at the moment.  He nearly dropped his ramen as she looked up and a slight tinge of pink came across her face as she waved at him.  He waved back still smiling even as he thought 'Oh crap.'  She waved him over towards her.  He could do nothing but keep that smile plastered don his face and come over.

'Geez he's faking it again.'  Even thought the smile he was giving her was fake she couldn't help but blush anyway.  She fought off the rising heat on her face as he came and sat next to her.  His close proximity being frightening and somehow thrilling at the same time.  'Sheesh calm down, it's just Ryou.'  She quickly wrote out on her hand.

=How are you?= 

"Fine, fine, and you?"  She nodded her head in agreement to his previous statement. She scooped up another mound of noodles in her chopsticks and slurped them down happily as he turned to his own cup.  He also pried his sticks apart and began on his meal.  The two sat there side by side enjoying their bit of luxury they were allowed.  She finished first and put her chopsticks in her cup before turning her head to get a better look at him as he continued slurping down the noodles.  She smirked and picked up her chopsticks and darted them into his cup grabbing a few stray noodles.  This did not go unnoticed to him.

"If you're still hungry maybe you should ask for another cup," he said politely while trying not to grab her chopsticks and break them.  Even before he came here it was rare he got to enjoy one of his favorite snacks like this at home, and he wasn't going to let someone deny him his privilege here.  She nodded her head no and made another grab for a few of his noodles.  He pulled the cup away just in time.  "I would really like to finish this myself."  He was having trouble just trying to keep his temper under control at this point.  He had totally forgotten about how awkward the situation was supposed to be.  She looked like she seemed to understand and turned back to her empty container.  He reached out and grabbed some more noodles in his chopsticks bringing them up to his mouth and starting to slurp them when her own pair of sticks reached out and grabbed the end of a couple strands of noodles and she started eating them from the other end.  "Hey!"  Hey quickly bit off the noodles he was eating and let them drop as she finished slurping them up.

"You understand English right," he asked somewhat exasperated.  She nodded her head as her chopsticks grabbed a few more noodles from his cup.  He sighed out loud and quickly clamped a hand over his mouth right afterwards.  'What the hell is going on I never sigh out loud!  How could I let my guard slip like that!  What is she doing to me?!'  He was brought out of his thoughts as some noodles were dangled in front of his face.  He jumped back a bit before looking down to see her holding out her chopsticks with a few noodles hanging from them in front of his face.  She gave him a questioning look before smiling and holding them closer to his face.  He looked questionably at the noodles and then at her and the small smile she had on her face as a pink tinge resided upon her cheeks.  He opened and allowed her to feed him the noodles, a tinge of pink also making its way across his own face.  'How does she always seem to catch me off guard?'  He watched her dip into the cup scraping what was left of the noodles up and bringing them to her own mouth.  'How do I always seem to loose my cool around her?  How can she be so annoying and yet…be so sweet?'

He quickly looked away as that last thought found its way into his head.  'I do not think she's sweet!  She could be but it doesn't matter because I don't care!'  He closed his eyes in concentration trying to block out the offending thoughts when he felt something wet on his nose and cracked an eye to see…noodles?  He opened his eyes to see her holding the last noodle from his cup in front of his face as she watching him with a curious look.  He continued to stare until he realized she wanted him to eat it.  Then he felt like an idiot as he opened his mouth and allowed her to feed him the last of his brunch.  He looked up to see it was about noon before looking back at her and smiling.  It was a fake smile, he knew it, and apparently she knew it as she grimaced when he did and almost made him want to stop, but he didn't.

"If you're still a little hungry we could have some lunch."  She looked in thought for a moment before she nodded her head in a negative fashion.  "Ok then what would you like to do?"  She looked disheartened as he asked and he started panicking on the inside as it looked like she may actually cry.  "What's wrong?  Did I say something wrong?"  She nodded her head in the negative before brushing away the beginning of tears and held her hands up to make a kind of circle.  'Circle?'  Then she brought her hands apart breaking the circle in half.  "Oh!  You want to play your game but it's broken?"  She nodded her head with a slight smile even though she looked sad.

'How can she smile and be sad?  And I thought I was confusing.'  "How did you get the last disk?  Did you bring it from home?"  She nodded her head again.  "Can you ask someone back home to bring you another?"  She shook her head no before scribbling something on her hand.

=No Visitors=

"Oh you're not allowed visitors either yet?"  She looked up at him curious as he said 'either' before nodding.  "Well it's probably not as fun as your game but we could play a couple of hands of duel monsters until my session.  I know it's not the same, but its better then solitaire right?"  She looked like she was deciding for a moment when she looked up at him and wrote something on his hand.

=On one condition=

"What?"  =Kiss Me= Putting it lightly he was not prepared for that kind of an answer.  To put it technically his eyes got as big as dinner plates and his jaw nearly hit the floor.  She smiled in satisfaction.  =J/K=

"J-just kidding," he squeaked the question out.  =That fake smile you had was making me queasy= She had to write up part of her arm for that.  He just stared at her exasperated.  =Even if you're mad at me I still like the real you better then the fake you= By this time her arm was pretty smudged and she thought a trip to the bathroom would be a good idea.  His eye twitched as he slowly got a hold of himself and took deep calming breaths.  'She tricked you and you fell right into the trap.  That's what you get for being nice to someone.'

She noticed the look of pain that crossed his face even if it was only for a second.  'Ut-oh did I go too far?'  She looked up at him as he got up to throw his cup away.  He dumped the cup and sticks and without turning to her he spoke, "I think I just want to lie down before my session, maybe I'll see you later."  Before she could get up he was out the door.  She wanted to call out to him, to yell his name, to say she was sorry.  But even as her mouth opened not a peep came out.  Hey eyes full of sorrow and regret as her hand made its way up to her throat and rubbed over it as if it could some how make her vocal cords work.  'Ryou.'  She sat back down and stared at the empty cup in front of her.  'I finally have something I want to say and I can't.  I just want to say…I'm sorry Ryou.'  She felt her eyes tear up but hastily wiped them away.

He rubbed his eyes groggily as he heard an annoying beeping sound to his right.  He quickly hit the off button on the alarm as he stretched out on his bed.  'That damn girl.' He had been more pissed then he'd been in a long time when he had gotten back and worked himself into some kind of exhausted state.  And to tell the truth he was exhausted, mentally.  In just a few days a girl he had never known or heard of had somehow wormed her way past all of his defenses, set up camp, and wreaked havoc upon his psyche.  So he had decided to take a nap and forget about her.  But he had made sure to at least set his alarm, he didn't know about these so called punishments but neither did he want to find out first hand what they were.  He stretched and yawned again before pushing back the anger he still had simmering inside of him to plaster a smile on his face and make it to the doctors office on time. 

He knocked and waited for a reply.

"Come in."  He let himself in a smiled brightly at her; at least that's what he thought.  To her his smile definitely seemed forced, to her and any other normal human being.  "Ryou are you ok?"  He let a look of confusion fall over his face.

"Of course, what could be wrong?"  He tried plastering a smile on his face again, his brick wall keeping any one from knowing the real him.

"I don't know but your smile seems really forced, is something bothering you?"  He chanced a glance in the mirror and almost blanched, his smile really did seem forced.  He looked completely stupid.  So he reverted to his more impassive face to be on the safe side.  He made his way over and took a seat in the laid back couch testing it out as he propped his feet up on it.  "Ryou what's the matter?"

"It's nothing I'm fine," he said trying to keep any hint of emotion from his voice.  'Something happened to him.  But what could possibly rattle him this much?'  Then it hit her.  'Anzu had that break through yesterday!  So she probably had something to do with this,' she thought as she looked over his tense form.

"Does this have anything to do with Anzu?"  She saw him visibly flinch and knew she had hit something.  "Did she tell you about yesterday?"  He didn't answer.  "Did she do something?"  Silence once again was the only reply she got.  "Do you have anything you want to talk about?"  Silence was her best friend as this conversation was going no where.  The seconds ticked by as the minutes rolled on and she waited.  She knew something had to give and it was only a matter of time.  She just hoped that something gave before he was allowed to leave the session.  It was then, about five minutes near the end of the session something finally happened.

He slowly licked his dry chapped lips as his mouth tried to form some kind of sentence.  He opened and shut his mouth a few times like a fish before finally getting the shaky words out of his mouth.  "W-what does it mean…to protect someone?"  This Mai was not expecting.   It took her a minute to comprehend what he was saying.  'Protect someone?  Himself?  Or is it…Anzu?!'  She nearly dropped her pen at the thought.  'Something is happening, but what?  This could help them, or…'  She looked over at his visibly tense form with a stoic expression plastered on his face as he tried to keep himself composed.  She chose her words carefully before beginning.

"To protect someone…is a big responsibility.  Whether you're protecting yourself," she paused to gauge his reaction.  "Or someone else.  To seriously protect someone you're willing to take the pain for the other if necessary to be a shield so to speak.  But before you can protect someone you have to trust them."  She saw him flinch again and a slight look of anger passed through his eyes but passed as quickly as it came.  "If you're willing to take their own pain as yours then you should trust them, because for them to let you protect them they have to completely trust you to do as you say."  Ryou's face scrunched up in thought but still held his unemotional expression. 

            "Thank you."  She shivered as his voice seemed so eerie with its lack of emotion.  "I'll see you next week," he said before quietly getting up and leaving the room.  'Trust,' she thought.  'How can I expect him to trust when even normal people have a hard time doing it?'  She sighed before pulling out another chart and getting ready for her next patient.

AN:  So what did you think?  Worth the wait?  Probably not took me almost a month to update.  Anyway hope you enjoyed and that I can get another chapter out soon.  Ja!


	6. Silently Screaming

AN: Sorry this took so long to update but this will be the last update on this fic and maybe my other fic for a while. I am going for a Japanese minor but have to go as a guest student to another college for it. And I have to take a placement test so for the next two weeks I'm going to be studying my ass off but if I get a few free moments I'll try to work on this or my other fic but don't be surprised if it takes a while to see an update. Also sorry this is kind of short but I wanted to get something out since a lot happens in this chapter. So even though it's short I hope you enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I no own Yugioh, though I wish I owned two certain white haired bishies! I'll just have to settle for plushies for now.

"Leave Sanity At The Door"

Chapter 6: "Silently Screaming"

He had locked himself up in him room for the rest of the night contemplating. 'What is going on? What's with all the head games and all this reading people shit? Why is everything so fucking complicated?!' He rolled on his side to see his clock reading somewhere around 1:30 AM. 'Ok calm down and think this through logically. First you were sent here because you went too far with cutting. But they don't just want you to stop cutting they want you to start 'being yourself' or there's a good chance I'm not going to see my brother ever again.' He took a deep breath trying to hold down his frustration. 'I will see my brother again, it may just take a while, but I will see him again,' he repeated trying to reassure himself. 'I wonder if he misses me,' he thought idly before burying his head in his pillow. 'Don't think about things like that it'll only make you regret.' He took a few more deep calming breaths as he adjusted his head on his pillow.

'OK first day here you run into this cute girl-' He mentally smacked himself as he fought the heat he knew was on his face. 'You met this GIRL who apparently trusts nobody and nothing and can't remember whatever made her go mute.' He didn't know that for sure but from what he had been able to get from Anzu and the doctor that's about what he pieced together. 'She automatically tries conversing with me, and then for some UNKNOWN reason later I see her being bullied and help her. Why did I help her? I've seen kids being bullied all the time. I saw that Yugi kid one time who owns the game shop being pushed around and didn't think twice. Why did I help her?' He couldn't help but feel confused and at the same time felt his heart beating heavily against his rib cage as he thought back to that little smile she gave him when he helped her and then didn't try and invade her personal space. That cute little smile that she gave only to him. He shook his head to clear it before throwing himself on his back now staring at the ceiling.

'Then after I guess when I let her be my friend I was also her first friend, but why me?' He didn't linger on this thought too long. 'She actually wants to be closer to me, but not the doctor or anybody else. Then she comes to me crying likes she expects me to comfort her. And for some reason I do, then I go out on a limb and say I'll protect her.' The words 'protect her' seemed to echo in his mind. 'If what the doctor says is true, does she really trust me…that much?' He felt the heat rise to his face again but didn't try to smother it. 'Do I…trust her that much…?' His poor brain already being wracked finally gave out and let him fall into an exhausted sleep without an answer. At least not a real answer, only clues.

He took a deep breath to calm himself as he came from his first 'group session.' What a crock! They went in there and sat in a circle with a certain subject and said how they feel about it. If any of them really were like him why the hell would they think they were telling the truth? He sighed and went to his bedroom not giving the other side a second glance. He was actually feeling a bit guilty about yesterday over the incident. 'Why the hell should I feel guilty? She's the one who was toying with me!' He threw himself on his bed and grabbed his arm that seemed to be throbbing. He looked over the scar left on his arm from the last time he had been able to 'relive' himself. He wished there was something, anything that would take away this pain.

He groaned and rolled over putting his arm under his pillow and staring at the wall. 'Will I ever get out of here? Does it matter? I mean I've probably already hurt my brother. He's probably too embarrassed to even call me his brother anymore.' He felt tears threatening to spill and the throbbing in his arm seemed to increase. It hit him then, he had really hit bottom. 'I don't have any friends, I don't have my brother. I can't even end it no matter how much this hurts,' he thought defeated. He sat up suddenly and turned punching the wall behind his bed. He heard a sickening cracking sound and saw red. There was a bloody imprint on his wall where his fist had hit. Pain surged through his hand, he was almost sure he had broken something, maybe one of his knuckles.

He felt himself almost smile as the pain burned in his hands, the pain being a relief from the thoughts throbbing in his head. He pulled back his injured hand before once again throwing it at the wall created a red dent and sighed in contentment as the pain shot through his body. He pulled back his arm once more but before it could once again hit the wall an arm reached out and grabbed it. He looked back at a white-clad orderly who was calling for others. He struggled against the grip and heard screaming, rage deeply laced within that voice. He was pulled to the bed and held down, so many arms reaching out and grabbing him. He heard that same angry voice shouting obscenities and screeching like some hell-bound demon. He looked up as he saw something metallic flash in the light before it pierced the skin and saw red running down his arm. Before the sedative kicked in he realized that screaming angry voice…was his own.

He woke up hours later feeling groggy and disoriented. 'What happened?' He tried to sit up but felt pain rip through his body and looked to his left arm. There was a bandage around his hand and he noticed his limbs were held down by restraints. It was then he also noticed he was not in his own bed, or at least the bed assigned to him in this place. He looked up and saw medical supplies everywhere and two more empty beds to his right. 'Am I in the infirmary?' He looked over as he heard a door open.

"Looks like you're finally up," came a familiar male voice and he looked over to see the doctor he had run into yesterday. He cast his eyes downward. "Gave us quite a scare you know, we had hopes that because of your attitude you wouldn't have to be here long. Ryou felt a sting in his eyes as his words hit home. 'Does he mean…I'm going to be here for a lot longer?' "You're lucky Dr. Kujaku talked on your behalf or they would have moved you up to security 2." Ryou winced remembering how she said only level 1's such as himself had such freedoms that they were treated almost equally. "Guess she must really see something in you or she wouldn't have bothered. Just to tell you you're going to be camping out here until your knuckles heal." Ryou winced and looked over at his hand.

"H-how bad," he said just above a whisper.

"One busted knuckle, the rest is just scraped skin and bruising. Should only take about a week and a half to two weeks." Ryou nodded resigning himself to his fate. 'I can't believe I went off like that. It felt so good, if only for a second. But now…' He felt a pain in his stomach and a pang of something…'could it be guilt? Why should I feel guilty, I'm the only one hurt…right?'

"By the way, I think someone up there must really like it, besides Dr. Kujaku you've already had one visitor." Ryou looked over with a somewhat shocked look. 'It couldn't be.' "Anzu doesn't warm up to just anyone, you must be pretty special to really stir her up like that. Do me a favor?" Ryou looked up at him questioningly. "I know you probably think that you're not hurting anyone but yourself, but you didn't have to see her face when she heard. Please if not for yourself, for her, just give it up." Before Ryou could reply the man turned and walked out the door. Ryou was once again left alone with the silence, and his thoughts…

It was hours later when he was awakened by none other then Mai. "So feeling a little more docile now?" Ryou couldn't face her so he turned his head to look at the wall, his face impassive. "Was group session really that bad?"

"Of course not," his voice surprised her in the calmness and underlying cheerfulness. "What would make you think that?"

"A busted knuckle and a few stitches maybe," she said lightly taping his restrained hand. "Or is there something else going on below the surface that needs to be aired out."

"You're not very tactful you now," he said still quite cheerful.

"I can be when I want, but right now I'm in no mood for games and feel being blunt may be a better tactic right now." He looked over at her a smile still plastered on his face very different from the stern look she was giving him now. "I'm not joking Ryou. Do you want to be locked away? You at least have a chance to leave if you're in Security 1, do you know how long it takes, how many _years_ it takes to get out of Security 2," she was all but yelling now. "And if you dare get thrown in Security 3 you may as well try and pull a stunt like that because that's your only way out," she was definitely yelling now. "I don't care if you think this is some kind of game, or if it's only about you, oh no one but me is getting hurt because that is bull! I had to talk to Anzu today because she was worried about you and it almost broke my heart! She looked as bad as your brother when I talked to him in the hospital!" Ryou's head snapped up and the cheery look on his face automatically disappeared.

"You talked to my brother?" Emotion was vacant from his face as he was struggling with what emotion would be the first to surface at this new information.

"Yes I did." She didn't want to reveal anything about his brother until he started getting it back together, but desperate times called for desperate measures. "He was heartbroken. He was almost as bad as you." Ryou felt like someone had just jabbed a steak through his heart. "He thought it was all his fault that you were hurting yourself. Blaming himself about how he should have noticed something sooner, how he should have tried to make you get along with his friends more or paid more attention to you. I saw that look once before because of you and I saw it again today because of you. I don't care if you _think_ this is only affecting you but I'm here to tell you that it's not. Any kind of abuse, self-afflicted or not affects more then just that one person, it affects anyone who cares about him and hurts them maybe even more then the person being abused. Think of who you're _really_ hurting before you try any shit like that again. Because if you get your ass sent to Security 2 I am _not_ going to be the one to tell your brother, you will." With that she stormed out of the room leaving Ryou staring at her retreating form. It was silent for a few minutes before the first tear fell followed by many others as Ryou cried for the first time in a long time.

Anzu sat alone in her room looking through her cards and over the few board games she had scattered over her bed. Puzzles, crosswords, card games, she was doing all she could to try and keep her mind away from _him_. But it had yet to work. Tears still silently streamed down her face as she sniffled and tried to dry her eyes. The ache in her heart only grew as she thought of the few real moments they had had together. From the first time she saw him, to when he head rescued her from bullies, to when he had said he would protect her, to the look on his face yesterday when she asked him to kiss her. She did feel bad about what happened but Mai wasn't letting anyone see him. The only reason she had been able to see him earlier when he was out was because she had gotten to him before Mai.

His hand was so bloody she wanted to cry. 'Why would he do something like that? Why would he do that to himself? Is pain really his only alternative?' She winced as she pulled her hand back and saw a droplet of blood come from her finger. She had gotten a paper cut from shuffling her card deck. She watched the blood trickle slightly down her finger before stopping. It was only a small cut and it wouldn't bleed much. She brought her finger to her mouth and sucked on her wound. She blinked and looked at the cut again before looking at the ink pen lying next to her crossword. She had been given permission to use a pen because she was not into hurting herself for any kind of gratification. She looked at the pen and held it firmly in her hand as she held her other hand out palm down. She looked between the two as she felt her eyes water and a tear trickle down her face. She quickly blinked the tears away and threw the pen in the corner of her room before looking down at her shaking hands. 'What was I about to do? Was I really going to…?' At that moment she was more afraid of herself then she'd even been in her life. 'Ryou, what am I going to do without you…?'

AN: So what do ya think? I was in an angsty mood when I wrote this. But things always seem to get worse before they get better. Please review and I hope you enjoyed it!


	7. Recovery is a Bitch

AN: Gasp OMG I updated!! I'm sooo sorry that it took so long to update but in all seriousness I should have told you guys August is my busy month. I have my birthday on the 10th, my BF's birthday, a friends birthday, getting ready for fall classes. It's seriously a bad time for me to find free time. Anyway I do NOT give up on fics, if I have to I revise them if they go somewhere I don't want but I don't give up on them so even if my updates are slow (sorry to say that when school starts there's s very high chance it'll take a while) I will do it. Also I am still translating Bakura/Anzu doujin so if you wanna see it poke scarletmoonlight and tell her to update her page cause I finished like four and I think she only has one or two up. Anyway hope you enjoy and sorry if it's a little short I like to leave off on certain moods in this story for some reason. Hope you like!

Disclaimer: I no own Yugioh, though I wish I owned two certain white haired bishies! I'll just have to settle for plushies for now.

"Leave Sanity At The Door"

Chapter 7: "Recovery is a Bitch"

The two weeks flew by as if a matter of seconds. Unfortunately for Mai in these quick weeks she noticed how quickly Anzu's demeanor seemed to darken in the absence of her newest patient. She hadn't seen said patient since that day weeks ago when she had 'scolded' him. She wanted to kick herself for that day. It felt so right to just out and tell him like that but at the same time she knew it was very unprofessional on a impressionable suicidal young boy. But she hadn't heard Doctor Hopkins say anything ill of him or that he had tried to hurt himself again so she took it as some kind of good sign. Hopefully she hadn't mentally scarred him too much. She sighed as she looked down at her watch that read a quarter to two. The whole reason she was reviewing such events in her mind over and over was because just this morning Ryou was released back to his room and it also being a Tuesday he was to report to her in just fifteen minutes for his session.

Then there was Anzu, she had Anzu on Monday and Wednesday sessions and yesterday's was especially bad. From what she understood she might be able to get somewhere in fully asleep hypnotherapy instead of the light version she and Anzu had been using but the girl was just too afraid to try something like that. A few weeks ago after that breakthrough she thought Anzu might be willing to try it but now with Ryou gone…

'Damn we only got through two sessions and he already attempted hurting himself again.' As it was she had to beg the hospital committee not to tell his brother. It wasn't that she thought he'd blame her. She just seriously did not want any contact between the two until his brother finally wanted some kind of help. That was the way it was with all patients, unless they wanted help they couldn't recover. But at the same time almost every patient she came across swore they didn't have a problem or in Ryou's case which she found sadistic in a way, he knew he had a problem but liked it. It was like being told you have poison ivy but you enjoy it. She shook her head as she picked up his chart and awaited his arrival.

It had been a very long two weeks. Two weeks of nothing but being watched while you eat and left with your thoughts. And with what Doctor Kujaku had told him he had a lot to stew over. He had come to a very concrete decision but before he decided to seriously throw himself into it he had to see one thing. Which was why he was now sneaking out of his room just a few minutes away from his session time.

He crept along the hallway wall back towards the doctors office from which he came from just a few hours ago. He stopped near the entrance and peeked his head around the corner not seeing anyone in the room. He pushed himself back against the wall and held his breath listening for any signs of the doctor. He heard them in the other room, the supply room. He looked into the room once again and at his goal, the door leading to the girl's entrance to the doctor's office. He took another deep breath before slowly slipping around the corner of the doorframe and smashing himself against the wall. He silently thanked his brother for all those times they shoplifted from the corner store and how he taught him to walk quietly.

He shifted on the balls of his feet as he silently slipped across the floor. He made it to the first door on that side of the wall and looked across the hall at the door to the supply room. He slowly let out his breath even though his lungs were begging for oxygen and slowly took another gulp of air before shuffling to stand in front of the second door on that side of the wall and was now staring directly across from the supply room. He heard continuous shuffling in the room and took a sidelong glance at his goal. So close he could sprint to it, but all that noise and he'd be caught for sure. He once again got his lungs the oxygen they needed before shuffling over, inching closer and closer to his goal. His hand reached out and grabbed the doorknob, as the door was closed, and was just about to turn it when the supply room door opened.

He froze. The doctor was holding some steaming ramen noodles and slurped on them as he exited the room. The doctor looked directly at him, staring right at him, there was no way he couldn't not see him.

"Hello? Is anyone in here?" Ryou nearly fell over. It was then he looked more closely at the old man and noticed the steam from the ramen was steaming up his glasses. Though Ryou was confused why he was wearing his reading glasses he prayed a silent thank you to any god that was listening and quietly turned the knob and opened the door just a few inches to slip out and quietly close the door behind him.

Doctor Hopkins took off his glasses and blinked a couple of times looking around the empty room. 'I could have sworn I heard someone shuffling around out here…oh well back to snacking on ramen and reading my new Shonen jump.' (AN: I couldn't help it, I wanna get the new shonen jump!)

He quickly peered down and hall and let out a breath as he saw the hall was indeed deserted. He quickly looked around remembering exactly where Anzu's room was. He darted down to the next hall that branched out from this one and looked down it. He saw two girls talking in the hall and pushed himself back against the wall. He waited as they continued to talk in soft tones before he heard some shuffling. He peeked his head around the corner and saw they were walking back to what seemed to be their respective rooms. It was then a sound caught his attention down the hall and he saw a door opening from one of the bathrooms. 'Oh shit! I'm so caught!' He looked between the open door and the two girls waving as they slowly went into their own rooms. As soon as both girls' backs were turned he darted down the hallway before the figure coming out of the bathroom could see him.

The figure that just stepped out of the bathroom blinked a few times. 'I could have sworn I just saw a flash of white dart around the corner of the hallway.' She shook her head and blinked a few more times. 'No it couldn't have been.'

Ryou snuck over to Anzu's room and took a deep breath before peering into the room and found…nothing?! He quickly stepped in front of the doorway and looked around the room. Sure enough, she wasn't there. 'What the hell!? I sneak all the way over here and she's not even here.' He was pissed but besides being pissed he was hurt. Even though he hadn't wanted to admit it, in the two weeks of almost solitude she popped into his mind more often then not and he wondered if what Mai said was really true. But his contemplation was cut short when he heard a gasp and turned to see two startled blue eyes staring at him as her hands covered her mouth.

"A-anzu," he said just above a whisper in his shocked state. She stared at him, he stared at her. The silence in the room was deafening to the point where their own breathing seemed loud enough to call attention to the two. It was then her eyes broke away from his to slowly trail down to his hand, the one that still had a couple of band-aids on it. Her eyes began to water and a single tear escaped. Her eyes seemed so pained. 'She looked as bad as your brother when I talked to him in the hospital!' The words Mai said weeks ago now came back to haunt him as he looked into her eyes and saw his own brother with that pained look on his face. That same look that he had when their mother died… He shook his head and quickly pushed passed her out the door and down the hallway. He went through the front but didn't care if the desk clerk saw him or not.

Mai was getting impatient, he was ten minutes late and if he was another five minutes late she'd have to go looking for him. Just as she was thinking that a familiar figure stumbled through her door out of breath and looking ragged.

"Nice to see you again Ryou," she asked more then greeted. "Would you like to sit down?" He plopped down on the couch and sprawled out still trying to catch his breath. "Would you like a glass of water?" He nodded his head and she got up filling a glass with some ice cold water from a nearby pitcher. He all but gulped the glass and let out gasp of air as he finished.

"Thanks I needed that," he said straightening up sitting upright on the couch. She cocked an eyebrow. She wasn't sure this was the same little smart-ass she had saw just a few weeks ago that wouldn't even open up to his own brother.

"Ryou are you ok," she asked seriously concerned.

"Yes, I think I'm better then I have been in a long time." She nearly gasped at him as his face actually mirrored his words with a small smile on his lips. It disappeared as quickly as it came but he hadn't tried to hide or cover it up.

"So what kept you up?"

"I had to visit someone." She frowned slightly knowing the only person he'd probably visit besides him and Doctor Hopkins was probably Anzu. Before she could even start in on him he cut her off. "I didn't do anything. I just needed…to see her." Mai was completely baffled on how much more honest and expressive he was being then a few weeks ago. 'Still a little reclusive but definitely not as much as a few weeks ago.' "Mai can you please do me a favor?"

"A favor? Does it involve breaking rules? You know they're in place for a reason."  
"No, not that kind of a favor." She looked a bit confused but nodded for him to continue. "Can you help me?" Now this really caught her by surprise, she definitely hadn't read anything like this in her horoscope today. "I don't want to hurt anyone anymore, I thought you were lying and I wanted to believe no one else was hurting. But today, I saw Anzu…and she made me think of my brother." (AN: Ok that kind of sounded wrong…) "I just can't imagine my brother looking like that. The last time he was even kind of like that was when mom died."

"When your mom died?"

"Yeah, that's when it started…"

Anzu sat on her bed staring at the open doorway, the same scene from this afternoon repeating over and over in her head. She didn't totally understand what had happened. She thought she saw him when she came out of the bathroom and went back to her room just to make sure. But sure enough there he was. He looked like a deer caught in headlights, she was just ask shocked. Then he just up and bolted. Anzu wasn't sure if she still wasn't allowed to see him. She thought she was going to die when Mai said she couldn't visit him at the doctor's office but she made it through hoping she could see him when he got out and they could hang out.

'Hang out. That's what normal kids do, not you. You can't even talk!' She felt the same rage from before burning inside of her but couldn't do anything about it. Months ago when she first lost her voice everyone wanted her so desperately to talk. She wanted to, she could form the words, the names, the phrases in her mind and in her mouth but when she tried to speak, it just wouldn't come out. She was just so frustrated. She wanted to badly to talk, to ask what happened. To ask why she was in the hospital, to ask what happened to her, the police continued asking her what happened. 'But how can I tell them if I can't even remember?'

The only real breakthrough she had was a few weeks ago when she remembered that little bit of information. Well, then there were the dreams…she remembered, in her dreams. She'd wake up crying or flailing around; she felt so hurt, so sad, so dead when she woke up. Right before she totally gave herself to the dream she would always remember the hallway, the door, and those eyes. But once she woke up nothing could come back to her. She couldn't remember a thing. 'I'm no better off then I was a few months ago. I just want to be normal again. I just want to go to school, hang out with friends, to date like normal high schooler's.' She sighed and lay back on her bed. Mai had suggested the fully asleep hypnotherapy but she didn't think she could make it through something like that. As much as she wanted to be normal, she didn't know if she could really face the truth of what happened.

'Please I just want to remember so I can get over it. I just want to be done with it so I can be normal again. I just want to get out of here. Someone please help me…Ryou…' Without even trying she let herself drift off to sleep, slipping into the same dream wishing and hoping she could remember.

Ryou was feeling, well better after that session. It felt weird and so cliché when he was sitting there talking to her. Then again it wasn't as tiring as all those games he used to play with her, and he didn't feel so mentally exhausted trying to hide things. But at the same time he just couldn't get used to just being himself. 'If that's not irony I don't know what is.' One thing he thought stood out though was what Mai told him right before he left the session.

_"Oh by the way Ryou you're birthday is coming up in just another month or so right?" He nodded wondering what she was getting at. "I was just making sure; it's coming up pretty fast. In fact so is Anzu's, I believe it's just in two more weeks, August 18th? I don't think she's mentioned it to anyone, wonder how she's going to celebrate? Hmm, anyway have a good day now! Ta-ta!"_

'I wonder if that's her way of trying to be subtle?' He sweat-dropped as he made his way back to his room. 'But what am I going to do for her birthday? I mean I don't know all that much about her. She likes duel monsters; maybe I could get her some cards? Or she liked that dancing game; maybe I could try and get another? But for that I'd need help from outside the institute, how the hell am I going to get that?' He plopped down on his bed and grabbed his head with his hands frustrated. 'Man I've never had to shop for a girl before, this is impossible!' He sighed. 'Anyway after that weird situation this morning she's probably afraid of me, I need to try and be friends with her again before I can try and figure out what she wants for her birthday.' He nodded his head as if in a silent agreement.

He laid back on his bed his eyes drooping slightly. 'I wonder what it would be like if we were both just normal high school kids hanging out and stuff? What would I do for her birthday if we weren't in here? If we were out there again…?' His thoughts continued to wander as his eyes slowly shut leading him to a dream world not too far from reality.

AN: So any good? Probably not as good as it should be for not updating in so long but I hope it'll do. And yes I'll update my other fic but it'll take a while because I'm trying to make chapters longer in that one and it takes me a while. Anyway hope you enjoyed!


	8. Reconnecting

AN: Look I finally updated. Anyway I guess Friday/Saturdays are when I'm going to update since my week is full of classes and work. Sorry it took so long for this to get out but I've been really busy with school. Anyway I don't have much to say so I hope you enjoy this! Has a lot of stuff finally happening in it!

Japanese:

Ano – Umm

Gomen ne – Sorry

Disclaimer: I no own Yugioh, though I wish I owned two certain white haired bishies! I'll just have to settle for plushies for now.

"Leave Sanity At The Door"

Chapter 8: "Reconnecting"

He quietly made his way into the dining area as breakfast was being served peaking this way and that but didn't see the familiar short brown hair of a certain someone anywhere. He went back down the halls venturing to the doctors office even thought after being in there two weeks and the incident yesterday he would rather avoid the area. But he wasn't doing this for himself. 'I'm doing this for her.' He went in and poked his head around and didn't see anybody. Not even the doctor… 'Should I try something like that again?' He shook his head dismissing the thought. 'I'm not going to stalk her and sneak into her room. I'm trying to get her to not hate me, and that definitely wouldn't help.' He made his way back to his room still not sure what he should do.

'Should I try and talk to her or leave her a note or something?' He shook his head. 'No this needs to be in person. So do I just sit around all day and wait and see if I find her? I just wish I knew what to do. I was a jerk and then went off and…made her cry…' He felt his heart lurch just trying to picture her face like that and felt a new surge of confidence hit him. 'I'm going to make things right! Even if I don't know how…' He got up and decided to go sit outside and try to clear his head. He hadn't been outside since the first day he came in. But then again it was summer and anywhere from 70 to 90 out there at this point so not many people went out there. But the solitude would probably do him good.

He made his way out the door and the way the humidity hit him made him choke on the air as he adjusted and made his way to some kind of shade. He sat near the wall with the bushes, as where the sun was right now would protect him from some hard. He sat there feeling like he was in a sauna trying to figure out what to do. 'Seriously once I find her what do I say? Even if I could get up the nerve to say sorry I don't think that's enough, is it? What if she won't even talk to me when I do find her? I mean after yesterday she might be pretty creeped out. What do I do?' He opened his eyes as he pulled himself from his concentrated trance and nearly jumped out of his skin as he saw a familiar someone sitting next to him quietly just about five feet away.

"A-Anzu?!" She tilted her head to look his way but had no emotion whatsoever on her face and he felt his heart drop. 'Does she hate me?' "Ano…nice weather huh?" She continued looking at him again for another moment with the same unemotional face before turning away to stare across the yard. 'Oh come on! Think of something to say!' "Anzu…I know it probably doesn't mean very much just saying it, but I can't think of any other way to do it, so I'll just come out and say it. I'm sorry Anzu. I'm sorry for everything, for being mean, and hurting myself, and sneaking into your room yesterday. I'm sorry," his voice filled with more emotion then he had shown in the whole last month. He had been looking at the ground when he had said it too afraid of the indifferent look she continued giving him or worse, at her being mad at him. He finally lifted his head up to look her in the face and felt his heart drop, she was crying! "Anzu! I'm so sorry I didn't mean to make you-"

He didn't have time to react before her lips were pressed firmly against his own. For a couple of seconds he just kind of sat there too shocked to think anything before his brain kicked in and he let his eyes drift shut kissing her back. He slowly lifted an arm to put around her waist but she moved from it so he let it drop. It seemed like forever they were both in a heavenly daze as their lips remained fixed on each other. It was Anzu who broke the kiss as she pulled back panting slightly, her face flushed and her eyes shining from still being slightly watery. Even as she continued to pant she let a small smile creep across her face which after a minute he began to mimic. They both looked up as they heard the clock outside chime once. Of course no one was allowed a watch so they had it rigged to chime the hour on the hour outside since there were no clocks out there. Anzu quickly got up knowing she had an appointment but looked back down at Ryou and held a hand out for him. He took it and got up still smiling, just more discreet now.

"How about a game of Duel Monsters after your session," he asked still holding her hand and noticed the cute flush across her cheeks glow. She nodded happily before turning to go inside, her hand slowly slipping from his. Even after she left he was still standing there holding his hand out almost wishing he could call her back with it.

Anzu felt absolutely giddy after that. She seriously didn't know what had come over her. She had went outside to clear her head and as hot as it was and the privacy she wanted (even though the yard was deserted) she leaned back in the bushes and not 10 minutes later Ryou came out and sat next to her. She was surprised but assumed he had been tracking her down and found her but as she came and sat next to him he seemed just as surprised as she was. 'He always has the weirdest dumb luck,' she thought referring to the fact he found her by accident. Then even as he began to apologize she just felt all the loneliness that she'd been keeping in for the last few weeks welling up inside her and trying to break through her damns. But after his apology the dam broke and all of those emotions she'd been holding for so long were out in the open. Even though she knew she liked him apparently keeping that pent up wasn't good for you as when you finally do something about it it's something very drastic. Like suddenly kissing said person you like even when you don't even know how he feels for you.

She had felt like her heart was slowly being ripped in half as she kissed him and he just sat there. Yeah what she did was sudden but she was afraid it was more then shock. 'What if…he doesn't like me back? And I'm just making this all worse?' The fear in her mind clouded over her own feelings and she was about to draw back when she felt his lips press firmly against her own and felt her heart leap into her throat. 'He.is.kissing.ME.' She felt her face really heat up as his tongue licked along her bottom lip and she felt herself tremble slightly. It was then he lifted his hand and placed it on her hip and began to wrap it around her trying to pull her into an embrace. As sweet as the gesture was she felt like she was being trapped and got a very queer feeling, she lightly shook it off and was relieved he didn't seem to mind. But as happy as this moment was her lungs were quickly telling her she was going to need air soon, very soon. So with much reluctance she slowly pulled away and noticed the tinge of pink on his own face and his lips slightly parted panting lightly. She felt something inside her stir at that site and had to mentally shake her head to clear those thoughts from her mind. It was then the chime broke the spell between the two and they looked at each other once again before Anzu got to her feet holding her hand out to help him up. Even something as simple as accepting her hand up and holding it sent little waves of electricity through her body. She was reluctant to let go but let her hand casually slipped through his as she made her way to her appointment. Which left her here she was now.

She made her way into the room practically glowing and Mai couldn't help but quirk a brow at her behavior. Anzu took a seat near Mai and smiled before waving a hello.

"Having a good day Anzu?" All she got in response was a goofy grin. Mai couldn't help but smirk. "Does this have anything to do with Ryou being out of the infirmary," she asked and tried not to laugh at the started look that came over the girl's face before her face became a tinge of pink. "Gomen ne, I couldn't help it. You look so happy, I'm glad." Anzu smiled again as she picked up her board and pen.

"Ok so what do you want to do first? Chat or go through the regression?" She thought for a second before writing.

'Regression, get it out of the way.' She hadn't had a break through since that one time, even with her dreams she still wasn't any closer. Mai nodded and Anzu took the position she was familiar with as a relaxed position on the couch. She closed her eyes, cleared her mind and a clock came into focus on a building just switching to 7:07 PM. She went into the backdoor of that same building she had seen in her head a million times. Anzu's brows furrowed as an oncoming headache seemed to start up. The headache grew worse and she moaned slightly as the image was now of her going down a hallway to the third room on the right.

"Anzu are you ok," asked Mai noticing the girl's whimpers and moans. This was definitely not what usually happened. Her board still remained blank as she hadn't gotten to that part yet. In her mind she opened the door and her head seemed to be trying to tear itself apart as she took in the figure…fully. His name was Dartz, he was the main singer for the group known as Doom. She knew him from when she met him a few other times…in this same building. 'What is Dartz doing here?' These were not current thoughts; it was like she was in a dream. But she knew this was no dream. She knew something bad was about to happen, much like you see a car wreck in slow motion, you don't realize it's happening until it's already happened but you know about it before it does.

For some reason her vision didn't stop and she moaned as her brain felt like it was in a vice now. From there all she got were flashes of scenes. It flashed from her entering the room, to him smiling and handing her a drink, then there was a scene where she was sitting on a couch and he was sitting next to her, then the next scene shook her to the very core. He was on top of her, she was naked, she could actually feel the cool air on her skin, and she shivered and felt tears running down her face. She felt his hands on her body, she wanted to gag as he touched her, his touches making her skin crawl and she felt so helpless. She felt so useless. The last thing she saw was his smirking as he smoked a cigarette still naked.

Ryou was getting worried. Mai's sessions were usually only an hour and Anzu left about 1 so he guessed that's when hers was. But even so it was now 3:30, she should have been out by now. 'What if she's regretting that kiss from this morning? What if she's having second thoughts about this? Second thoughts? It's not like we're dating…are we?' He shook his head at the million thoughts swarming through his head. He got up and went to the front desk to ask if she had come back yet.

"Anzu? She just came back about 15 minutes ago with Mai." That definitely seemed odd. "She seemed a bit upset." 'Oh crap, what if she's upset about me? About this morning?' Ryou was about a hair's breath away from having a breakdown. "Mai left just a few minutes ago.

"Do you think I can see her?"

"I don't think so, she was really upset."

"But it's important I have to give something to her."

"I'm sorry but you'll just have to wait." Ryou huffed pretty pissed off. He turned and stormed back to his room.

It was 15 minutes later and he had once again snuck into the girl's hallway via the doctor's office. 'If anyone seriously wanted to get over here it wouldn't be a problem. I wonder if any other guys have tried something like this?' He should such thoughts from his head and looked down the hallway her room was in. The cost was clear as he slid along the wall and made it to her door. It was shut and he tried peering through the crack but everything was dark. He slowly cracked the door open and he heard a whimper as he did so. On the bed Anzu was lying there curled into what looked like the fetal position.

"Anzu," he called out softly with the door still cracked so he could see her. She immediately jumped and turned to face him. He felt like his heart was being ripped apart by just looking at her. There were tear streaks on her cheeks, the tears continuing to flow like a river, her eyes were red and bloodshot, and every few seconds when she sniffled he heard a muffled whimper from her throat. "Anzu," he said her name softly showing just how much it pained him to see her like that in just one word. She looked at the ground and wouldn't face him. He slowly walked over to her bed as she still wouldn't face him and he softly plopped on the bed next to her. He wanted to badly to just put his arms around her and pull her into an embrace but remembering this morning he thought it was a bad idea.

"Anzu, what happened?" She shook her head whimpering again. He slowly moved his hand closer to hers, letting her pull back if she wanted but she didn't as his hand clasped her own. "Please, I hate seeing you cry. I'm sorry about this morning, I shouldn't have tried to put my arm around you," he said dejectedly as he continued watching her. Her face shot up with a look of extreme confusion on her face. 'He thinks this is because he tried putting his arm around me this morning,' she thought while looking at him and the sincerity in his eyes. She couldn't help but let her lips tug upward into a small smile over how worried he was he had done something to make her cry. He was watching as she wiped her eyes and shook her head.

"No really I'm sorry I-" She cut him off by placing a finger on his lips. She didn't want to write anything out at the moment so she pointed to her face where the tears were slowing but still flowing and then pointed at him and shook her head hoping he'd get it. "It's…not because of me," he asked a look of relief flooding over his face. She nodded still smiling softly. It had taken her long enough to get him to smile and now it seemed every time he smiled she couldn't help but smile back. It then hit him where she had just come from. "Did something happen in session?" Her smile immediately fell and he felt panicked again as he thought he just made it worse. "You don't have to tell me right now or at all for that matter if you don't want to," he said quickly trying to make her feel better.

"Just please don't be sad anymore? I don't know what happened but I'm going to try my hardest to make sure you don't cry, I'm going to protect you," he said in a firm voice and once again she couldn't help but smile. 'He still wants to protect me.' "And just to seal the deal," he said whipping out his deck. "A game of Duel Monsters!" Anzu couldn't help but giggle as he struck a stupid pose with his deck in hand. She threw her arms around him and knew even as she was blushing a bright red he had to be blushing just as bad. This was the first time in months she had embraced anyone, the last person being her mom as she said goodbye to her when she came to this place. But now, here with him, it just felt right. But before she pulled back she wiped her face on his shirt.

"Hey what am I now a Kleenex?" She pulled back smiling and stuck her tongue out before touching her nose signaling he hit it on the dot. "Yeah well this Kleenex is going to kick your butt this game!"

Mai watched silently from the hallway. She had left the girl for a moment to go and rearrange her schedule and come back to help comfort her. But as of now it looked like she didn't need Mai. Mai's smile only widened at Ryou's reactions to Anzu. Even though he had finally started being himself it was hard to break the habit of hiding things, but around Anzu everything just seemed to come naturally. 'They're both helping each other recover faster and better then even I could help them.' She went back to her office to once again rearrange her schedule.

Ryou waved goodnight to Anzu as he made his way back to his room as it was now curfew. It almost felt like two normal teenagers hanging out and they had to be home at a certain time. 'If only we were normal teenagers,' Anzu thought as she closed the door after seeing his retreating form turn the corner. 'Go on a normal date, talk to each other.' She put her fingers to her mouth wishing just once she could talk to him; say anything, even if it was just 'hi'. 'I'm trying Ryou, I'm trying for you.'

But as she sat there alone in the dark she couldn't help but let her memories from this afternoon come back to her. Why did they all of a sudden come back today? Why didn't she have the full memory yet? Yeah she had seen a _lot_ more then she had before but why was it still in pieces? Would she ever fully regain that memory, did she want to? Was it because of the kiss? It was her first kiss…she felt her heart ache. Her first kiss wasn't with Ryou, her first kiss was stolen from her, along with something else just as important…

She sighed and fell back on her bed bouncing a bit. The full truth hit her then and there, 'I was drugged and raped by someone I trusted.' She felt the tears threatening to return and fought hard against them. 'I want to be strong. That was months ago Anzu, and he can't get back to you.' She realized now why everyone was asking her about what happened at the hospital. They knew she was raped but didn't want to say anything. That and she knew unless she pressed charges nothing would happen.

That's why my parents tried so hard to make me remember. The doctors had said if she got enough rest and recuperated then she could get the memory back on her own. But as almost a month went by and nothing her parents got so frustrated. 'I can't blame them. There only daughter gets raped and while she can't remember a thing the rapist is out there possibly hurting other girls or could come after her. They didn't know who it was and for all they knew it could be anyone. No wonder they got so paranoid.'

'But I can't do anything until I get my voice back. I don't get it, I remember but even if I don't remember all of it, I should be able to talk now. Why can't I talk?' She remembered earlier when Ryou had come in she was whimpering and moaning, or at least that's what anyone else might have heard. She was trying to talk. Even as she remembered everything in the office the thing that made her start crying was when she calmed down she tried to talk and nothing would happen. She didn't care about the rape…she didn't care about the pain; she just wanted to talk again. But Mai kept telling her the only way that was going to happen was if she dealt with it.

'But what is there to deal with? There's nothing I can do now, it's over it's done.' Even as she said this to herself she felt her eyes watering again. 'Please not again, please I don't want to cry, please I don't want to hurt anymore…Ryou…please protect me…'

AN: Wow a first kiss and a breakthrough in one chapter! But I felt I owed it to you since I took forever to update! Gomen ne! Hope you enjoyed!


	9. Cheer Me Up

AN: Wow I really took off in this chapter. Was really inspired by this song off RE2 soundtrack called 'Meet me in Death' though with the music it sounds like a love song 0o Anyway lots of stuff happening here and if you're wondering how Ryou pulls some of it off all will be explained. I have wanted to do this chapter for so long so I made sure to really throw myself into it and I hope you like reading it as much as I loved writing it!

BTW For anyone reading any of my other fics sorry but this seemed to have took most of my inspiration this week after a bunch of….stuff happened so sorry but I shall update next week and I am planning on finishing "who am I" in the next chapter or two. And if you aren't reading my other fics, well you should :P Ok bye bye.

Japanese:

Gomen – Sorry

Nyan – Japanese equivalent of Meow

Disclaimer: I no own Yugioh, though I wish I owned two certain white haired bishies! I'll just have to settle for plushies for now.

"Leave Sanity At The Door"

Chapter 9: "Cheer Me Up"

It had been almost a week since the 'incident' and Anzu actually seemed to be getting worse. The only time she almost seemed like her old self was when Ryou was around. But even he could tell something was wrong. He tried to cheer her up, get her to talk, or even tried to make her forget but it seemed like nothing was working. He sighed as he lay back in bed wondering what time it was and if it was still night or now morning. Either way he didn't care. There was only one thing he cared about that that moment and he was pretty sure she wasn't sleeping either. 'Anzu what can I do for you? Maybe I could give her a really good birthday gift. But what does she want and what could I even get for her in a place like this?' That's when it hit him like a slap in the face and he sat strait up in bed.

"It's perfect!" 'But I only have a week to put this together; I hope I can do this!' With that he started formulating how to give Anzu the best birthday gift ever.

Anzu sat in bed in the late night/early morning just staring at the ceiling. She wished she was one of the lucky few people who had windows in their room. But very few had them and she was not one of the lucky ones. She tried to keep her mind in check as when she didn't it seemed to wander to things not so pleasant. She shivered and rolled on her side crossing her arms over her chest. What happened last week was a curse and a gift in one. She was another step closer to getting her voice back but she had found more pain then she ever imagined with it. She had had two more sessions with Mai after that, even though the second one was a special session Mai had set up on Saturday to try and help her work through this.

From what Mai understood the reason she only saw everything in bits and pieces was because she still wasn't able to fully accept what had happened yet. She had also said she may not be able to fully accept it ever but she could accept it to the point of understanding what happened and being able to go on anyway. 'But how do you accept that you were violated by someone who you trusted? Who can you trust then?' An image of Ryou flashed through her mind and she fought back the tears. Ever since he had come here he had almost automatically become her life line. It was something she relied on to always be there, which was odd considering after all those months she had never let someone get that close and then a total stranger comes in and she couldn't help but feel that way. But after he hurt himself she felt that trust falter, she frowned.

He was slowly regaining her trust after he had been released form the clinic but then after last week…she didn't know where her trust lay. And after they had shared a kiss…another tear trickled down her face as she fought a sob. She was slowly being ripped in half, her past self that had been hurt by Dartz and never wanted to trust anyone, let alone a man, again! But then there was the new her, the one that forgot everything and went on with life a little quieter, the one who met this boy that seemed to change everything about how she thought. Now as both were fighting for dominance and she didn't know which way she should go.

She wanted to get over it but how do you just let go of the fact someone violated you in the most personal way possible? But what could she do, it was done and over with and she couldn't change the past. As it was all she could do was move on, but she couldn't let go. 'I wish I could just let go and trust everything will be ok.'

'I'll protect you.' The sentence that Ryou had not only told her once, but twice echoed in her head. 'I want to believe that…Ryou.'

Current boy was grinning like an idiot as he was going over the details in his head for the plan he was concocting. He was a man on a mission, even though it meant he wouldn't be able to see Anzu as much as he'd like for the next day or so he knew in the end she'd appreciate it, and hopefully pull her out of her depression. 'She was there for me; it's the least I can do for her.'

Even as he wanted to finish up the last few details he stopped when he saw Mai coming his way, and that she was coming from the girls' dorms. 'What's up with her, why was she in the girls' dorms?'

She was about to walk right passed him, as deep in thought as she was, when he called out to her and caught her attention.

"Huh? Oh Ryou, how are you today?" He was concerned as she still seemed to be distracted and didn't seem her overly happy self.

"I'm fine. What's going on, why were you in the girls' dorms?"

"Well I really can't say," she said and noticed Ryou's frown. "But I can say a certain female patient didn't come to a session and didn't have a reason not to so I made a visit to her." Ryou knew she wouldn't have told him anything if it was 'just a female patient.'

"Anzu? It was Anzu wasn't it," he said in a heartbroken voice. He knew that she was more cheerful around him then when alone, he had heard it from other doctors and aids, but he never thought it was this bad.

"She needs something good in her life, something to help her move on," she said ignoring his last question but at the same time answering it. He looked down as Mai turned and left going back towards her office. Ryou was allowed to visit her as he was the only person she ever really ok'ed as a visitor. He made his way to her room slowly afraid of what he might see. 'She didn't even go to her session. Is it really that bad?' He peeked into her room and saw her on her side facing away from the wall her arms still crossed over her chest.

"Anzu," he called out getting her attention. She immediately sat up wiping at her face. 'Was she crying?' She quickly smiled and waved slightly at him in greeting as he waved back and made his way into her room. He noticed her rumpled clothing, 'I wonder if she's even been out of her room in the last day or two?' He had been visiting her in her room since the week before and he hadn't seen her outside her room so it was a possibility.

"How are you? Doing any better?" She dug around in the covers of her bed for a few minutes before pulling out the familiar blue marker. 'Fine.'

"Are you sure? You don't look so good." She nodded trying to get across to him she was as fine as could be. "Hmmm…maybe you're just excited about your birthday?" At this her eyes saddened. This would be the first and only birthday she hadn't celebrated with at least her family. "Uh-ah G-gomen I didn't mean to upset you or anything. Just teasing ya know?" He forced a smile trying to lighten the mood a bit. She frowned but it was more of an annoyed frown then a sad one and stuck out her tongue. "Ok ok bad joke. Anyway your birthday is this Saturday right?" She nodded her head but wondered how he had known her birthday at all. "Turning 17 should be fun; you're going to be older then me for a whole month. My brother would be jealous of me being with an older woman." Anzu couldn't help the slight grin that spread across her face and the tinge of pink that came with it. "Anyway, I have a surprise for you, a really great gift!" Her face clearly showed surprise and saved her the trouble of writing a question. "I'll give it to you but only on one condition." Her eyes grew and took on a gleam of excitement. "That one condition is no matter what you have to trust me."

For some reason Anzu's heart fell into her stomach as she heard the last part of his sentence. He saw the excitement quickly fizzle and die as he said that. "Well I mean I know you've been hurt before." He saw the flat expression she had turn into a saddened state. 'Shit I'm making this worse!' "B-but I mean I know I hurt you before when I cut myself and all but you were willing to give me a second chance. Have I changed at all since you decided that?" She thought for a moment and looked like she was ready to protest as she pulled out the marker. "I know _things_ have changed but have _I_ changed?" She seemed to be deliberating before she finally shook her head no. He slowly reached out and took her hand in his own making sure to keep a loose grip in case she wanted to pull back. "If I haven't change then you're still giving me a second chance right?" She once again looked like she was having an internal conflict before finally nodding her head. "Then please, if you're giving me a chance…trust me."

Her expression was still grim but she nodded her head slowly. "Anzu," he said he name softly in that one tone of voice that seemed to make her heart skip a beat with each syllable. She quickly looked up and noticed how close he was to her but even as her bran was screaming for her to make him back off, her heart wanted nothing more then to be closer. As it was her brain wasn't all that important at the second as his hand came up t cup her cheek and she felt the warmth spread across the bridge of her nose as she felt herself blushing again. She felt a small smile tug at her lips though as she saw a similar hue spread across his own face before his face slowly came closer to hers and she let her eyes drift closed just before she felt his lips on her own.

She felt a tingling sensation clouding her mind before going to the tips of her fingers and toes as her face grew warmer. His hand was still holding her cheek and she couldn't help but notice how soft his touch was, or how he softly caressed her cheek along her jawbone to her neck. His lips were so soft and the kiss was rough not like she expected but not to her disliking. 'How can he make me feel so different when he's around?' She felt a coldness on her lips as he slowly pulled away, her lips still tingling with the sensations wishing for more but slowly opened her soft blue eyes to meet his warm brown ones that made her want to melt.

"Are you sure you want to trust me? I don't want you to think I did that just to make you trust me." She didn't hesitate at all as she nodded her head and smiled at him in that soft smile of hers. "Ok then, I might be a bit busy in the next day or two." She frowned figuring he was saying this meaning she may not get to see him because of it. "But it's because of your present and I think you're really going to like it, so don't pout," he said smirking as she was already pouting. She didn't even notice she was until he pointed it out and tried to stop but gave in and just pouted even more. "It doesn't matter to me; you're even cutter when you pout." She blushed and lost the frown on her face almost immediately. "I promise you, you're going to like this gift."

As the week continued, much like he said, the next day or so she didn't seem him at all. But before he had started 'preparing' for her birthday he made her promise to go to her sessions because it would be no good if she had punishment or was confined to her room on her birthday. It came down to Friday when he met up with her once telling her only to wait for him after 9 on Saturday night and no matter what, to follow his lead and do what he said. It sounded suspicious to her and her brain was once again giving her warning signs but she paid no mind to these as she looked at his smile and convinced herself he wouldn't purposely hurt her, and it was supposed to be a present for her after all the hard work he'd put into it. So here she was sitting on her bed about 9:30 wondering where the hell he was. 'I wonder what this is all about? Why wait until night to give me a present?' She sighed but almost jumped out of her skin as she looked up and he was right in front of her. As it was she just jumped a foot in the air and squeaked softly.

"Shh," he said or tried to as he was chuckling. "Ready to go?" She nodded and stood as he grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the door. He looked out before pulling her into the hallway and to the end of the hall. He looked around the corner again and then quietly made his way down the hall still holding his hand. He looked around the corner and just like before she thought he was going to go around the corner leading her along so she went to walk around the corner but was quickly pulled back, right into his arms.

She felt her face heat up as she was now in his embrace. 'He's holding me!' Even as she felt the same nervous itch she felt before when he tried to put his arm around her she pushed it aside for the euphoric feeling she was having right then. But she was snapped from her reverie by his voice.

"Sorry about that," he whispered. "But we can't go yet, the woman watching the desk is still there, but she should be gone soon." 'How does he know that? And where are we going anyway?' But as it was she had no time to ask as he pulled her around the corner and saw the woman's figure walk down the hallway to peak around the corner at the boys dorms. Ryou somehow quietly and quickly dragged her passed the desk and down the hallway just as the woman was turning back to walk to her desk. Even as the woman turned around and thought she saw a flash of white she put it off to working to late in a bleach-white hospital. Ryou quickly pulled her along to the next hallway once again peaking around before pulling her towards the door leading to the yard. They stopped in front of the door as he fished around in his pocket for a minute and finally pulled out a paperclip. 'What the hell?'

He stuck it in the lock and moved it around a bit trying to peak in the hole even though it was pitch dark and he probably couldn't see well enough anyway. She was just about to suggest going back when she heard a slight clip and he looked up grinning at her. He mentally thanked his brother for being the thief he was and passing it along to his brother. "Almost there," was all he said as he slipped quietly out the door leading her by the hand and sneaking into the bushes. He put a finger to his lips and pointed at the camera that went left to right, pausing for a few seconds as it went from one to another. "Listen when that thing comes are way and stops I'm going to count to five and then run to the right corner over there between those bushes where the gate is loose, you should be able to squeeze through ok? But we can only go one at a time. So just do the same as me and don't look back." She quickly pulled out her blue marker.

'ARE YOU NUTS!? WE'RE ESCPAING?!'

"No," he whispered looking at her shock face and couldn't help but grin. "I just want to give you your birthday present. Please Anzu, you've followed me this far, and we're so close," he pleaded giving her the puppy eyes. As it was only her friend Shizuka gave her those kinds of eyes and they were very effective. And so she sighed and nodded. "Ok watch where I go under the fence closely ok?" She nodded and they both watched as the camera came there way and stopped. Ryou slowly began counting out loud and as soon as he said five he took off in a sprint for the fence just as the camera turned away. Anzu didn't think she's ever seen anyone run that fast before…ever. He made it to the corner and slowed down his actions deliberately so Anzu could see where the fence was loose and she could pry it away enough to slip through. She saw him quickly duck behind the bushes on the other side of the fence just as the camera turned back to her. As it was too late for this time she tried to psych herself up for her 'big run.'

'Come on Anzu you can do this. If not for yourself, then for Ryou!' She sucked in a deep breath and watched as the camera once again came her way. She slowly counted to five much like Ryou did and once she got to five her feet were already working as she made her way across the dewy yard. The seconds felt like hours as she made her mad dash for the fence. She was almost there, the fence was maybe a yard away, when her foot gave out on the grass and she started falling face first towards the ground. 'Come on, for Ryou!' She quickly stuck her hands out in front of her gripping the wet grass between her fingers as they hit the ground and pulling giving herself the leverage she needed to continue running towards the fence. She ran right into the metal barrier hearing its metallic echo sound that rippled down a ways before dieing out. She quickly reached out grabbing where Ryou had grabbed and found the loose metal rings in no time prying the fence away from the post and squeezing through. She heard a rip and looked down to see a swatch of the bottom of her shirt gone but quickly dove in the bushes where she saw Ryou's form.

She sat down beside him breathing heavily as he pulled a bag from the bushes. It looked like a laundry bag they used in the hospital and was about to ask when he made a shushing motion with his finger to his lips and peeked over the bush watching until the camera had turned away before grabbing her hand and pulling her to her feet. He ran straight across the long lawn before stopping by the brick wall that stood as another barrier between them and the outside world, although this was much easier to climb. He dug in the bag and pulled out a pair of jeans and a black shirt tossing them to the side before handing her the rest of the bag.

"I'm going to change over there ok? Try and hurry," he said although she didn't understand what he meant as he ran over to a group of nearby bushes. That is until she looked in the bag and saw a pair of brown cargo pants and a small white t-shirt with blue angel wings on the back for the design. She realized he wanted her to change too and quickly did so hoping he wouldn't catch her with her pants down…literally. She was happy to see everything fit, though the pants were a little loose, and waited for him. Though he looked less happy about that as he was out of breath and she had to wonder if he was trying to catch her in the middle of changing. She didn't have much time for thought though as he pulled on a pair of shoes and she turned the bag upside down and sure enough a pair of sandals fell out for her. He gathered their hospital cloths and tossed them in the bag before tossing them over the gate. "You ready to celebrate being 17?" She nodded smiling, the excitement from before coming back again. "Well here we go."

Anzu looked around at all the things she had missed while in the hospital. The lights, the stores, the music…They were now on a bus heading for Domino, the town both of them surprisingly lived in yet they never met each other. Though it was a large town, not like Tokyo, but not like some backwater town either. She squealed grabbing Ryou's hand and pointing to a dance dance machine which two teens were playing. After they had changed Anzu found out Ryou had been collecting change this last week to get enough for a bus fare to Domino and back. And though it was a 45 minute walk to the bust stop the ride to domino was only a half hour and they would be arriving soon. Where Anzu didn't know, but all of her fears and doubts were gone as she took in everything she had been missing for so long.

The bus started slowing down and Ryou got to his feet holding Anzu's hand still. "Come on this is our stop." She quickly got up clutching his arm as they got off on a crowded street full of all kinds of life and people and things, the kind of things she took for granted before but was enjoying now. Ryou slowly led her down the street letting her stop and look at things and poke at things on a street vendors table, or just to look at things in windows. Even though he was never a very social person he had missed this and he had only been gone about a little over a month, so he figured she probably missed it a lot more then him. But the stores began to thin out as they reached their destination.

Anzu's eyes lit up like stars as she looked at the sign flashing 'Nyan' in hot pink above the club with music going so loud you could hear it outside. She looked at him questioningly and he nodded making her heart speed up as she stared in wonder. It was rare before she was sent away she ever went to a club but when she did she loved it and now…she felt she could burst, she hadn't been this happy in so long. But instead of going around front he led her in the back.

"Ok go along with whatever I say ok? No matter what." She nodded as he went up and knocked on the backdoor quickly putting on a frown and looking pissed. Anzu wondered what was up when the door suddenly swung open banging against the brick wall.

"Who the hell are you?" Ryou looked up with a dangerous look in his eyes.

"Who the fuck do you think it is your mom?" The guy looked him over and had a questioning look on his face.

"Bakura? Bakura is that you? What the fuck happened man? I heard about your brother and no ones seen ya in weeks. I thought you swore off the parties until your brother was back?" Ryou nearly let his surprise slip through his façade but got it under control before continuing.

"It's not for me," with that he grabbed Anzu around the waist and she blushed as he pulled her close. "She turned 17, I decided to show her a good time," he said grinning. The other guy couldn't help but also smirk as he eyes her up and down. Ryou really wanted to beat the crap out of him for that but kept his temper in check as he knew he was puling it off.

"Well I guess I could if it's someone's birthday." Ryou was about to step in when the guys hand stopped him. "But what do I get?" Ryou got a really confused look on his face and looked at Anzu as she looked somewhere between stunned and horrified. Ryou was at a loss and knew they were probably about to be busted when…Anzu slammed the guy against the wall?! She pushed him against the wall coming close to him eyeing him up and down and sniffed in the air before grabbing Ryou's hand and pulling him into the club.

"Damn Bakura always got the violent ones," the guy said but left it at that as he closed the door behind him. As soon as they were away from the guy Ryou let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

"God I think my heart just about stopped. That was awesome, I can't believe you pulled that off," he said praising her. She giggled and looked all around, feeling the place nearly throbbing with life. "Well," he said grabbing her hand. "Shall we dance?"

Anzu giggled even though she probably couldn't be heard over the music as Ryou was once again pulled onto the dance floor by her. 'He doesn't know he's created a monster.' It had been about an hour and half since they arrived and Anzu would not let Ryou rest for more then a song before pulling him out on the floor again. She was enjoying herself more then…well ever as she could remember. 'This feels so right, just like a normal couple hanging out on the weekend going out at night.' She smirked as an evil though crossed her mind as a new song started up. Anzu got closer to Ryou and as the song quickly sped up, so did her body. Ryou's heart nearly stopped and his face had to be redder then that time he fell asleep in the sun for four hours as Anzu was now grinding against him.

He was standing almost completely still and didn't seem to know what to do in such a situation. Anzu couldn't help herself, the fear and anguish she'd been holding left over an hour ago and it was as if she were back to where she was months ago and nothing had ever happened. When she noticed he stopped moving she got a very evil grin on her face as she leaned closer and grabbed his hands pulling him out of shock but he still wasn't dancing. She grabbed onto his hips to which she got one of his most comical faces she had ever seen from him, something between a blanch and pure shock, as she tugged at his hips trying to get him to grind back.

She wished she had her voice back so she could whisper to him and ask why he wasn't dancing and her smile faltered a second but she wasn't going to ruin Ryou's present now. So instead she smiled and leaned up to kiss him, cupping his face softly. He immediately responded slowly wrapping his arms around her waist to which she didn't seem to mind. For some reason Anzu seemed a lot bolder this night, maybe because it was her birthday, as her tongue slowly darted out to lick along his lips not sure but at the same time extremely sure what she was doing. She could feel his body stiffen as she did this but she didn't stop as her tongue continued to lick along his lips and her own arms wound their way under his arms to hug him to her. She was surprised though as he opened his mouth allowing her tongue to venture farther until she felt his own tongue intertwine with hers. Her head was foggy with bliss at this time that she barely noticed, he was finally grinding with her, and though when she did notice it just seemed to add to this euphoria she had numbing her sensible thoughts to mush.

But as much as she was enjoying this she needed to pull back for a breath of air and looked at him with half-lidded eyes panting and noticed he was almost mirroring her actions. She felt something stir in her lower abdomen as she stared into his half-lidded warm brown eyes and saw the passion in them. A bit of fear pulled at her heart but excitement quickly pushed it out of the way. But even as the two stood there embracing each other on the floor in such an intimate moment they weren't the only ones to notice.

"Come on how long does it take to pee," Malik grumbled as he leaned against the wall over the overly crowded extremely noisy club. Malik was not a fan of clubs but at the same time there was always something that drew him to them, and it wasn't just his boyfriend Marik. He sighed looking around the club, in times like these his friend Bakura would usually cheer him up by picking on some poor passerby and trying to selling him off to Malik as a sex slave thoroughly scaring the shit out of him (the passerby not Malik). He chuckled at the memory but his smile slowly faded away and sighed. He missed his friend, hell they all did. Bakura wouldn't say much at first, all anyone knew was Ryou had to leave but Marik wouldn't leave it at that. Sometimes his boyfriend could be so pig-headed. So eventually it got to the point where Marik was openly taunting Bakura about being ashamed of his brother and it was then Bakura exploded and told everyone exactly what happened. To say they were shocked would be an understatement and his boyfriend actually looked like he was sorry for what he did, a rarity indeed.

It was then they found out why Bakura wasn't going out and partying with them or hanging out as much anymore. He'd sworn off any kind of partying until his brother was home, Malik frowned. Out of all of Bakura's friends Ryou hung out with he'd at least hoped Ryou considered him a friend. Out of all of the people that hung out with Bakura they seemed to get along and had a bit more in common then the others, at least that's what he thought. They were always the two odd guys out as they weren't as hard core as everyone else in the group who constantly stole, and snuck into places, and sometimes bullied people. He was saddened when he realized they weren't as close as he hoped and how he'd actually tried to…He shook his head trying to clear his thoughts when he saw something that made his mind go completely blank as he stared at a familiar head of white hair; before he was pulled into a tight brace from behind and shivered as his boyfriends lips found his neck. But he quickly wrestled out of his grip and turned to face him.

"Marik I need your phone now," he all but yelled as he looked over at the same young man as before who was shockingly grinding against a girl.

"What do I get in return," he asked seductively and even though Malik loved when he did that there were way bigger things going on right now.

"I'll be your sex slave the rest of your life, for all of eternity, blah blah blah," he said quickly grabbing for his boyfriends phone.

"What the hell is your problem tonight," he asked getting annoyed with his boyfriend's attitude.

"I'll show you I swear just give me your damn phone," he said getting thoroughly pissed. What if he lost sight of him before he could get the phone?! Marik handed Malik the phone and the teen quickly turned searching the crowd until he found the familiar teen with a girl and snapped a couple pictures. Including one of them lip locked on the dance floor. Marik looked over Malik's shoulder to see what he was getting pictures of.

"What the hell? Is that Bakura?"

"No," Malik said matter-of-factly staring at the boy in the picture. "It's Ryou."

AN: Yes I made Malik and Marik boyfriends. I could have made them brothers but I was feeling risky and have never really tried a guy/guy couple so I hope it's not that bad or that you are completely turned off by it. If I have any kind of interactions like that anywhere else in the story it'll be strictly side and it definitely wont go as far as Anzu/Ryou. Anyway Ryou's been caught by his brother's friends, what shall happen now? Only I know mwhahaha! Hope you enjoyed reading!


	10. Last Words

AN: Hey I finished "Who am I?" So now I'm fully concentrating on this and "Heat Wave" so unless schoolwork becomes too much for me I'm definitely updating this each Friday. Anyway I had someone ask if other characters will be making an appearance and yes they will in later chapters. And thank you to those who aren't fond of shonenen-ai but still read through the malik/marik part. Bit more in here but its not a lot so I hope you can bear it. Anyway thank you to all the lovely people who reviewed! I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I no own Yugioh, though I wish I owned two certain white haired bishies! I'll just have to settle for plushies for now.

"Leave Sanity At The Door"

Chapter 10: "Last Words"

Anzu didn't know why she was acting so…wild. She guessed it was because she finally had a chance at being something she hadn't had a chance to try for in months, normal. A girl at a club with her boyfriend. She blushed at the thought making him look at her confused causing her blush more at how cute he looked. Even though neither had officially said anything what else would they call it? She smiled letting the music flow around her and taking her body with it.

Ryou couldn't help the smile that continued to pop up on his face as he danced with Anzu, though always keeping an eye on the clock. He had planned this all out to the last few minutes and even though he wanted to make sure Anzu had a good time he also wanted to make sure they wouldn't get punished for this little 'outing.' At least not her. He smiled as she grabbed his hand tugging him closer as the beat seemed to speed up. She was really loosing herself in the music and he couldn't help but stare at the way her body moved. Yeah he'd seen her on the dance dance game before but damn…this was way different. He was really enjoying himself as her body moved against his.

Anzu had noticed what seemed like eyes burning in the back of her head as she continued dancing. She glanced around a few times and saw who was around before going back to dancing. 'I hope I'm not getting a lot of attention.' She nervously turned again to glance again a pair of tanned blonds who stood out as they didn't seem to have moved at all in the last five minutes and she noticed one of them glancing at Ryou. She tugged on his arm to get his attention before glancing over her shoulders with a flip of her head and looking at him again.

He looked over her shoulders and immediately went pale. There just over her shoulder were two of his brother's best friends looking over at them. 'Oh shit! Why here?! Why now?!' Anzu noticed something was wrong right away when he started looking panicky. She was about to pull out a pen when he grabbed her hand and took off for the back near the bathrooms. She was pretty shocked at how he was acting but waited patiently as he looked around the corner to make sure he wasn't being followed. He knew she wanted to know what the hell that was but wanted to make sure they hadn't moved.

"Those guys are best friends with my brother." Her eyebrows shot up and went a bit pale herself. "Yeah, hopefully they'll just think it was my brother, but if they try to talk to me we'll be in deep." Anuz nodded before looking around the corridor they were currently hiding in. The only things there were the bathrooms and backdoor. Ryou was still peeking around the corner when he felt a hand grab his and he was quickly pulled out the backdoor and into the alley passed the guy 'guarding' it. "Anzu!" But his words seemed to fall on deaf ears as they made their way out to the main street and ran down a few blocks before coming to rest beside a pay phone, like two bats out of hell. It took him a few minutes to get his breath back before he finally turned to meet her eyes.

"Anzu what the hell was that." She took out her pen and a napkin she'd snatched from the club.

'Making sure we're not caught.'

"But didn't you want to stay a bit more?" She shook her head in a negative manner.

'It was fun but I'm getting tired anyway. How about something to eat?'

"Something to eat?"

'It's not like we know the next time we can take advantage of this.'

"Fine fine you made your point," he said holding his hands up in defeat. Which was good because she was running out of space to write on the napkin. "So what do you want to eat?" 'I hope it's not something big, I only have a little more then what we need for bus fair back.' She pointed somewhere above him and down a ways. He saw a big neon ice cream sign on the other side of the road and sweat dropped. "You had this planned out didn't you?" She gave him her most innocent look which made him think she was even guiltier. "Come on," he said grabbing her hand and leading the way to the shop. She blushed and picked up the pace so she was walking next to him instead of behind him.

Ryou couldn't help but feel a smile grace his face as well as they made their way to the small shop and she leaned her head on his shoulder. He looked up and decided the prices weren't really bad. "So what do you want?" She pointed to a double fudge Sunday and he couldn't help but feel his mouth water as well as he looked at the delicious looking picture. He ordered up a Sunday with two spoons. As he turned to wait for the order he felt two arms wrap around him and couldn't help but blush as he looked down at the small girl latched onto him. He unconsciously let his own arms snake around her waist and didn't want to ever let go. She smelled so good, not like the hospital but her own unique smell he loved everyone he noticed it, it was like vanilla and cream. Her warm body was pressed against his, and just seemed molded to fit him so perfectly. It just felt so right.

But even as he thought that they had to pull apart as their order was up. He grabbed the two spoons as they sat down to dig in. She quickly dug in getting a smudge of chocolate on her chin as she gave a sigh of satisfaction. Ryou chuckled before also tasting the sweetness denied to him in the last few months. 'Who knew something so simple could be so heavenly.' True to it, Ryou had a huge sweet tooth before and to add to his unhappy mood the first week there he seemed to be going through sugar withdrawal. But now…he couldn't think of anything to make this moment any better. He looked over and still noticed the smudge of chocolate still on her chin. He reached over taking her chin softly in his hands and noticed a small blush come across her face and noticing what it must look like quickly wiped the smudge as his face began to heat up.

"Y-you had chocolate on your face." She let a small smile grace her face before once again getting a spoonful of the chocolaty goodness. They ate in relative silence until they got near the bottom in which he rested his spoon and just took to watching her.

"So how does it feel to be 17?" She looked like she was in thought for a minute before smiling at him and using her finger signaled for him to come closer. He leaned slightly over the table but she continued to usher him closer. He was leaning now so he was almost completely over the ice cream when she closed the gap between them placing her lips softly on his own. But she just as quickly pulled back and dabbed some ice cream on his nose with her hand. He looked cross eyed at the ice cream making her giggle. He was ready to give her a taste of her own medicine when her eyes became really wide and she seemed to be staring at something behind him. He turned around and came face to face with probably the last two people he wanted to see at the moment.

"Good look Ryou," Malik said wiping the ice cream off his nose and licking it. 'Shit they already know,' he said feeling his heart drop to his stomach, he at least wanted to pretend to be his brother but it was pointless now. "When did you get out? Bakura didn't tell us."

"W-well I…you see…heh," he finally gave his stuttered answer rubbing the back of his head wondering what he could really say in a situation like this. 'To tell or not to tell?'

"Holy crap I think he broke out," exclaimed Marik leaning over Malik's shoulder. Ryou fell over anime style at this. 'How the hell can they be so observant, or at least that good at guessing?!'

"Yeah right gody goody Ryou." Even as he said that Anzu latched onto Ryou's arm and stuck her tongue out.

"Don't stick that out unless you plan on using it," he said smirking. Ryou could feel her shudder and tried to fight the urge to slug him, though it probably wouldn't do any good against the guy towering over the rest of them.

"Leave her alone, what do you want," he said still trying to dodge their questions by asking his own.

"What do we want?! You go off the deep end and while you're off somewhere on drugs and whatever else trying to recapture that happy feeling your brother is giving up everything because he feels it's his fault!" Marik was pissed, Bakura had been his best friend since they were kids and knew he would do anything for his brother if he would only ask! Ryou looked down with hurt on his face, this was the second time tonight he's heard he was ruining his brother's life. He fought back the tears and turned back to the two, his voice slightly wavering.

"But I didn't-"

"Even if you didn't want it he did," he said cutting Ryou off. "No more partying, hanging out, and even that girl he'd been dating for two months, you know a record for him; he gave that all up because he felt guilty that he should be happy when you were in there." Ryou felt his heart clench in his chest as he could see the truth mixed with their own pain. Anzu felt very out of place in all of this. She knew very little about Ryou's family but was slowly seeing some of it in the light tonight. She had never jeard the exacts of how he had come to the institute, the why behind the cutting, but now as some light was shed upon the subject she felt her own heart clench.

"I want nothing more then to be able to go home and see my brother," he said truthfully. "I want nothing more then to really be his brother and just hang out with him. And that's one of the reasons I'm not dead yet." The serious mood in the area was broken with a sigh from Marik.

"And to think we thought Bakura was the more troublesome of the two of you," he said chuckling lightly. "But seriously what are you doing here?"

"Well umm…you see," once again he had that sheepish look on his face.

"Holy crap you did break out," Malik yelled getting some strange stares from people in the area.

"Not so loud! They're going to think I just broke out of jail or something," he said trying to get them to hush.

"But you broke out for what? To go partying with some girl." Malik step forward trying to get a better look at Anzu and although she didn't mind Ryou near her her five foot rule was still in effect. Even if he didn't notice they had been dancing to the side alone in the club, and now she jumped back letting go of Ryou to stay just out of reach. 'I think I know this girl. I swear I've seen her before somewhere.' He took another step closer as she backed up. "Huh? What's up with her," Marik asked as Malik once again tried to get near her but Ryou got in between the two almost shielding her.

"She doesn't like people she doesn't know getting really close to her." Malik looked like he was thinking for a minute before he snapped his fingers and pointed at Anzu.

"Wait a sec that means you and she aren't strangers or she wouldn't let you near her. She broke out too!" This time people were definitely staring as Ryou sweat-dropped.

"It was for a special reason," he said trying to get his brother's two friends to back off.

"Special reason?" Marik had a questioning look before a sly smirk came over his face. "Ryou's becoming a man!" They heard a small squeak from behind Ryou as the girl's eyes seemed to grow to the size of dinner plates and her face was doing a good tomatoe impression. Ryou's face was a pretty deep red at the moment too but for another reason as well.

"Baka! It's not like that, it's her birthday!"

"Hmmm, she's pretty quiet for it being her birthday. I don't think shes said a word since we saw you in the club," said Malik slightly leaning over just to see her slightly lean over as well, toying with her.

"She can't talk," he ground out getting slightly annoyed with the two blonds' hyperactive selves.

"Why not," Malik asked leaning forward suddenly and as Anzu tried to distance herself she almost tripped and fell. He narrowed his eyes again. 'I swear I know her from somewhere, but why would I know someone in an psych ward?' He looked over at Ryou and sweat dropped. 'Or for that matter two people?'

"Because she was traumatized by two idiots who wouldn't leave her alone," he said and was about to add more when he heard a clock chiming in the distance, and heard it chime three times. His eyes got wide and he started searching in his pocket quickly before grabbing Anzu's hand and dashing away. Malik and Marik right on his heels.

"Hey Ryou what's going on! Hold up!" But Ryou continued to drag Anzu back towards and passed the club. 'What's going on? Were they really bothering him that much?' But she didn't have time to think on it too much as she began to recognize the way they had come earlier. It was then she also realized the only real reason he would be running after hearing the clock. 'The bus!' She noticed he'd been keeping an eye on the time whenever he could. 'Shit!' She began picking up the pace so she was now running with him and not behind him.

Just as they rounded the corner and saw the bus stop within range they also saw the bus already about half a block ahead and gaining speed.

"Stop," Ryou repeated this and let go of Anzu's hand to try and catch up but the bus wasn't slowing and soon it was out of site. "Shit!" Anzu leaned on her knees trying to catch her breath, 'Damn what's with all the running tonight? You'd think we really did escape from prison.' She soon heard the familiar padding of feet drawing closer and turned to see the two blonds once again.

"Damn that has to suck. Pretty sure that was the last one until 6 too," said Marik not a bit winded while his better half was a bit winded but not as bad as the couple in front of them. 'Stupid athletes,' Ryou cursed wishing he wasn't so out of shape. (AN: Not making fun of athletes!)

"Shit! They're going to punish her for sure for this!" Malik raised an eyebrow in question not sure if he'd heard what Ryou said right but saw a blush spread across her face as he said so and knew he heard right. Malik leaned up purring into Marik's ear.

"What do you say we help the lovers out? It is her birthday." They looked at the two worn beings looking ragged and tired trying to pull themselves together." Marik looked at him a bit hesitant.

"You've been asking a lot from me in the last few days, what am I getting in return?"

"A warm fuzzy feeling inside?"

"Hmmm…I just may hold you to it." It took Malik a minute to register what he meant.

"H-hey!" It was Malik's turn to imitate a tomato but at the same time he didn't mind too much, even if that wasn't what he meant.

"Oi! Ryou! Come on!" He looked up to stare at Marik.

"What the heck do you mean come on," he asked grabbing onto Anzu's hand.

"You need a ride back right? Me and Malik got the bikes, we can give ya a lift." He looked uncertain and looked to Anzu for an answer. She looked a bit hesitant but nodded firmly. 'He's gone through so much for me; I don't want him to get in trouble!'

"Lead the way."

It took a lot of convincing but eventually the two were seating on the back of two separate motorcycles. Ryou riding with Marik and Anzu riding with Malik. It took a _lot_ of convincing on Anzu's part along with driving at least a bit slower then the speed limit for about ten minutes before she was finally semi-comfortable enough with him. Even though she trusted Ryou her body was screaming at her to jump off and run for it. To do anything she could to put some distance between Malik and her. But she was hanging on for dear life repeating to herself it was all for Ryou. It wasn't that she thought Malik was a bad guy really, but to be this close with anyone but Ryou in so long was a bit much for her.

It didn't take long once the two bikers were able to once again get their speed up to get them back to the hospital. Though they did make fun of the name a couple of times as well when they heard about it. They ended up arriving just about a quarter after four. Anzu quickly got off and shuffled a bit away as soon as the bike was at a semi-stop (she wasn't waiting around for it to full stop). Marik chuckled at the face Malik was making, like he'd just been rejected. Ryou quickly got off as well and thanked the two as he and Anzu made their way back. The bikers quickly turned and headed for the city making in passed the bus stop in no time. It was then Malik's eyes got huge and he blinked a few times as if he didn't believe something. 'That's where I know her from!!!!' Malik looked a bit crestfallen as he finally realized who he just had riding on the back of his bike.

Anzu and Ryou made it to the wall and grabbed their cloths making it back over the wall and changing as quickly as possible, it was a bit later then they were meant to be back and they were afraid for the safety of the other. But they changed a bit too quickly for Ryou's liking though as Anzu had come back when he was trying to get his pants on making it an awkward moment for both. But as both of them finally got it together they snuck back to the main fence that contained the yard they had slipped through earlier.

"Ok listen we're going to run back to those few bushes we were in earlier as the camera turns ok?" Anzu nodded her adrenalin pumping as the thought of going out and doing what they did tonight and coming back without getting caught excited her. 'We may actually get away with this.'

"Ok I'll go first, when I say-" But he was cut off as he was pushed face first into the ground cutting him off. Anzu turned to her left to see what had happened and squeaked as she saw one of the male nurses from the institute holding Ryou down and another coming towards her. She squeaked again. "Anzu!" Ryou tried to get out of the orderly's grip as another came up and pulled him to his feet. The third tried approaching Anzu but she continued backing away from him, until her back hit the fence. 'Please help me! Please! Ryou!' She felt tears threatening to fall when a voice rang out.

"Leave her be. A long as she comes along quietly there is no need for that. And him as well." Both of them looked up to see a man with long silver hair covering his left eye in a red suit that looked to be French in design.

"Who are you," Ryou said as the orderlies set him on his own two feet but stood by his side.

"I am what you would call the warden of this facility. Pegasus J. Crawford." He did a slight bow getting a sweat-drop from the two teens. "I usually wouldn't be out here in the middle of the nigh if not for the fact I heard of an escape of two of my lower security patients. You know lower security is a privilege and as such can be taken away quite easily. I do believe you've already been warned about this my dear boy," he said turning to Ryou. Ryou wouldn't meet his eyes as Anzu felt her heart sink. 'No he wouldn't! It was because of me! It was me! Please don't punish him!' But nothing would come forth, at the moment she coulnd't tell him anything and Ryou wasn't speaking.

"And you Anzu, you've been so good and I've heard about you finally making some progress after a breakthrough. We were hoping to hear your sweet voice again soon. But that matter shall not be decided as of yet." He turned on his heel and headed toward the facility. They reentered through the front door this time and made their way to the split between the two 'dorm' type areas. "Until we can call upon them for questioning they are both to be confined to their rooms with the only times for leave being scheduled bathroom breaks. No communication with other patients, other doctors, and especially with each other." As he finished his sentence the orderlies once again came upon Ryou to escort him back to his room but he pulled against them watching in horror as two orderlies also grabbed Anzu.

"Anzu!" She felt tears flowing freely now. Her body was screaming for escape, to get away, to flee anywhere. But there was something inside her yelling louder then that. 'Please no more! I don't want you touching me! Please I don't want this!' Just as the commotion sprang up Mai made her appearance in the hallway looking disheveled and very pissed off and began arguing with Pegasus demanding to know what was going on and why she wasn't called as the two teens were being pulled farther away.

'God don't take him away! I don't want to be alone anymore! I'm so afraid!' The yelling rose in pitch as everyone seemed to be making heads or tails of the situation and the shift nurse had to keep others from coming out of their rooms.

'I'm afraid! Someone help me! Protect me!' Mai and Pegasus quickly stopped their fighting turning to the girl looking on in wonder, but she didn't seem to notice. The orderlies had stopped pulling them away but held the struggling girl as she once again squeaked in a louder pitch, this being what had caught everyone's attention. She clenched her eyes shut creaming in her mind, 'Please god protect me! Protect me!'

"Ryou," the single soft spoken, though a bit hoarse voice, echoed in the hallway as everyone looked on in astonishment, especially the white haired boy who seemed to fall in love all over again with the girl with the voice of an angel. 'Anzu…'

AN: Wow so much happening in this last chapter. And how does Malik know Anzu? So much is left out about her past hehe! And Anzu finally spoke! And yeah Pegasus is back, very creepy huh? Anyway I hope you enjoyed!


	11. The Fate of the Star Crossed Lovers

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IMPORTANT: I'm sorry I thought I could get through this semester but classes and getting ready to go to Japan this summer is creeping up on me. So for now, please forgive me, but I am putting all my fics on hold. I am really really sorry and hope maybe I can do more around thanksgiving and Christmas. Once again I am very sorry but it's very hard for me to do this with classes and such. Gomen nasai!**

AN: Sorry this took so long to get out. But lots of stuff happening, Bakura makes an appearance! Woot! And you find out more about Anzu's past and life! So I beefed it up with goodies to make up for no update last week. So hope you enjoy!

Japanese:

Kami-sama God

Hai Yes

Onegai Please

Disclaimer: I no own Yugioh, though I wish I owned two certain white haired bishies! I'll just have to settle for plushies for now.

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"Leave Sanity At The Door"

Chapter 11: "The Fate of the Star Crossed Lovers"

Everything that had happened since that one blissful moment had been a blur to him as they were both quickly escorted to their rooms and locked in. One of the first times he'd known that to happen. He knew they were discussing them and wished he had a way to talk to her. He felt his heart being squeezed almost painfully in anxiousness awaiting his fate. 'I just wanted her to be happy. It's not like we went on a killing spree and blew up Tokyo tower! I'm sorry Anzu…please be all right.' He sat in silence going over the many different possibilities that could happen. He'd thought of everything from him and Anzu being released (he wished!) and both of them being sent to second level security. Or for him…third. He felt like he couldn't breath as he sat there contemplating how this all happened.

'If the me from a few months ago looked at me now it'd laugh at me and call me an idiot.' A small smug smile tugged as his lips. 'But then again 'he' wouldn't know how soft her lips are…or how sweet she tastes…' It seems over the last week or so he had become quite the romantic. Like he was floating on cloud nine and nothing could touch him, or her. But this hit him fast and hard leaving him winded and wondering what the hell just happened.

He sighed laying back on his bed staring at the ceiling again. 'Kami-sama, I know she'll be mad, and it may rip me apart inside…but I'm willing to be punished for both of us if you just leave her out of it…please. I just want to protect her.'

'Ryou.' Anzu was currently curled in a fetal position on her bed, the same position she'd been in since they locked her in her room. The only time she had ever heard of someone being locked in their room was when it happened only a week after she had arrived, and that person went to security level 2 right afterwards. 'Please no…it's my fault we're in this mess. It was my birthday…please don't punish him. Please don't take him away. Ryou…' Her hand hesitantly went to her lips feeling them softly. She had said his name. At first she thought it was a dream, she heard it, her voice, saying _his_ name. After the shock wore off she felt just a relief wash over her, like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders and she was finally free so something. But when she finally came back down to Earth she found herself here.

'I haven't felt this helpless since…' An image of Dartz shifted through her head and she shut her eyes tightly trying to keep her tears in check. 'Don't even think of it!' She made her mind automatically shift to happier things. She tried not to laugh as she remembered the time she had been messing with his noodles and how serious he tried to stay despite it all. Then last night, he'd been so sweet and fun, and if she dared she could almost say carefree. But she didn't dare as she was afraid she'd jinx herself. Right now all she wanted was his arms around her. She quickly jumped with a start as the room to her door opened and in walked Mai.

"Anzu." Anzu just nodded looking at her with a questioning gaze. Mai sighed and pinched her nose as she came and sat at the end of Anzu's bed as said girl was scrunched near the headboard. "I just got back from talking to Ryou." Anzu's had an expectant look on her face. "He says he's fine and to tell you hi and everything will be ok." Anzu felt a slight blush come to her face, she wasn't sure if it was his reassuring words, or the fact said words had to go through Mai. But she quickly snapped back to attention as Mai continued. "Man you guys really got into a mess." Anzu looked down her heart heavy. "But congratulations anyway on finding your voice. It's actually because of that you have such a chance."  
"Chance?" Her voice was soft and squeaky from lack of use but it still came out. She rubbed her throat wishing for a glass of water.

"Yes I told Pegasus how much both of you have improved since you became friends." Anzu felt a bit guilty as she knew Mai knew they were a bit more then friends and lied for them to Pegasus. "And that after so much improvement shouldn't be wasted by throwing you in level 2." Anzu's head shot up quickly and it felt like she couldn't breathe. 'He wants to stick us in level 2?!' "So we made a compromise, he thinks I would be too biased in my opinion so he is having each of you go to a special session tomorrow with a different psychologist to asses you." Anzu felt her stomach clench in nervousness. She was very relaxed around Mai but someone new… 'But I have to do it, for Ryou.' Anzu nodded her head in agreement.

"You'll be fine Anzu. Also even before they've decided on what to do they're finally going to let you have visitors." And that was when she was pretty sure her heart stopped.

"Visitors? Family? Friends?" Her voice though weak held so much hope and want in them.

"Whoever we can get by tomorrow. That's when the evaluation is over you can visit with them in the rooms on the other side of the main gate on the first floor. Ryou as well." Anzu swiped at her eyes trying in vain to stop the flow of the salty droplets but it seemed as no use. Her heart was filled with more joy then she'd felt in months and it was because of one person…

Ryou opened his eyes to the knocking on his door. 'Morning already,' he thought as he sat up rubbing his eyes and stifling a yawn. He looked to his door as one of the orderlies from yesterday came to 'escort' him to his session. Anzu and Ryou would be being interviewed at the same time though by different doctors in different rooms. He was hopeful he would see her before or after but he was pretty sure he couldn't. Right after that he was going to see a visitor, meaning his brother. He was pretty sure that was the only person the hospital knew to contact for visiting. It was something he was looking forward to and dreading at the same time. He hadn't talked to his brother since before the 'incident' that brought him here. And he didn't know what would happen if his brother asked him about it.

Then there were also Malik and Marik who he was pretty sure squealed on him by now. Even if they helped him out, he knew if Bakura ever found out about last night and that they didn't tell him they'd be two skinned Egyptians. But more then anything he missed his brother. He had always protected him and tried to watch out for him and take care of them like their father never could since he was never around. It wasn't his fault though, unless he worked full time with his job in Egypt there was no way they'd be able to live decent lives as it was good pay. He sighed as they came to stop in front of a small white door. He entered and could tell right away this wasn't going to be like a normal session as this doctor just seemed a lot tenser and even the way he fiddled with his glasses sent nervous vibes down his own body.

'Come on Ryou, you have to do this or you're both in deep. Do it for Anzu.'

Anzu shifted uncomfortably in her chair as the doctor continued looking her over making her feel more and more nervous. Like when you're sent to the principal's office and they're reading exactly what you did before confronting you with it. "So Miss Mazaki," he said finally catching her attention. "How are you feeling?"

"Ummm…ok," she said her voice hesitant and squeaky. 'Ok just remain calm and answer honestly.' She took a deep breath.

"How long have you been at this institution?"

"Umm about 5 or so months…I think."

"Hmm and when you were brought in you had suffered a trauma that caused voluntary amnesia where you could not remember the trauma is this correct?"

"Yes…it is," she looked around the room looking for a glass of water as she wasn't used to using her voice this much.

"Not only that but you lost the ability of speech as well and would not let others within a certain distance of yourself. Correct?" Anzu nodded her head as he continued.

"Now you have recently," she broke off squinting at the paper before her eyes got slightly wider, "in fact within the last 24 hours regained your voice am I right?" She once again shook her head. "And within the last month you have regained a lot of your memory. Not a complete memory but a lot more then your months with Dr. Kujaku correct?" Another nod. Anzu felt a bit more at ease as he seemed to be asking simple enough questions.

"This all occurred around the time Dr. Kujaku acquired a new patient, a Mr. Bakura? Correct?" She nodded and felt a lump rise in her throat.

"So…what is your relationship with him?" For once Anzu wished she still didn't have her voice.

"My relationship?"

"Yes, friends? Companions? Something that we should know about?"

"You make it sound like we were doing something we weren't."

"But were you planning on it?"

"We have a relationship that, that, you wouldn't understand," he said in a huff as he tried to calm himself.

"Explain it to me; I think you give me too little credit." He felt the oddest combination of fear and anger swelling inside of him but tried not to act on it.

"She needs me."

"Needs you?"

"To protect her."

"Protect her from what?"

"Anything, everything, take your pick."

"Ok so you protect her, but what does she do for you?"

"She gives me a reason not to hurt myself."

"How does she keep you from hurting yourself? Does she restrain you? Yell at you?"

"She showed me that when I hurt myself I am hurting those close to me."  
"Those close to you? I thought you told Dr.Kujaku when you first met you didn't have friends and didn't care if you die. But you say those, so who else is there?"

"My brother, I never saw him after he found out. But Dr.Kujaku told me Anzu looked much like he did when he found out, that is after I hurt myself while in here. And I saw her; it hurt so much to see her like that. I don't even want to think of what my brother was like."

"Why wouldn't you think people would care what happened to you?"

"People only care if they know you. As it is the only people who knew me were my brother and his friends. And out of all of them I thought the only one who might be hurt would be my brother. But at the time, I thought that his pain wouldn't be as bad as the pain I was feeling then and his friends would help him."  
"But what about your father?"

"I doubt he'd recognize me if you showed him a picture of me. I appreciate he makes money for us, but I'm not going to lie and say he's the world's best father."

"So why did you do it?"

"It was my birthday; I have been here for so many months. I love dancing and I used to have a dancing game here but it…broke." She faltered slightly when she said it had broken. "And he took me out because he wanted to take me to a dance club."  
"So he wanted to take you out? Like a date?" She blushed slightly but tried not to seem like it was a big deal, though it was.

"Kind of, yeah. I've never dated before so…"

"I know this is a delicate subject, but you haven't dated before, yet that event a few months ago that triggered all of this…What I am asking is how you can date after something like that." She looked like she might cry for a second but blinked them back as a slight smile came to her lips.

"I don't know why or how, but I trust him. From the moment I saw him I felt something, I don't know what. But I knew I could trust him…with my life. And even though people like you or Dr. Kujaku think that might be dangerous or that I'm only getting myself in more trouble he has done nothing but protect me and take care of me. I don't even know why he does. I mean when we first met I annoyed him and aggravated him and confused him. But he never pushed me away. And even after I got my memory back I was torn trying to live like I was by also trying to cope. He showed me I was still me."

"So what would you do now if things were to go back to normal? To your daily routine."  
"I would try to get better."

"Well wouldn't you do that even without him here?"

"Eventually, but now…I have a goal…."

"A goal?"

"I want to get out of here and be with him, like a normal person."

"What about the life you had before all of this?"

"What about it," she asked her voice a little tight.

"Are you going to go back to the way it was? Or are you going to give it up? Can you give it up?"

"I don't know." She watched on as her face contorted in pain and a few stray tears trickled slowly down her cheek. She was about to ask what she didn't know about but she answered for her. "I don't know if I could live without what I had before. But I know if I have to…for him…I want to try…" The psychiatrist watched on her face a frown.

"That's a lot to give up for a person."

"Not when that person is your strength. For him…I want to try…"

It seemed as soon as the last line of words left his mouth the doctor left the room and two orderlies swept in and quickly escorted him again. This time he passed the main room and the front desk to the other wing of the hospital which he had never visited before. He knew what was coming and he didn't know if he was ready. His palms were sweaty, his heart was pounding and he felt slightly dizzy. 'It's ok Ryou. It's just Bakura, your brother, come on you've been together since birth.' Even as he tried to reassure himself he still felt jittery. A door was opened for him and he noticed the room was empty meaning he was the first to arrive.

He quickly took a seat and looked around at the white wash room that had one single but long window on one wall; there was also a small window on the door for observation. The only other things in the small room were two chairs, one of which he now occupied, and a white table separating them. He looked around feeling pretty nervous and gripping his hands. He could feel his face trying to contort back to its fake happiness almost out of instinct at the thought of his brother but he fought it. He was at least able to plaster a blank look on his face. He gulped as he heard footsteps slowly making their way down the hall from the front door. 'Deep breath. Calm down.' He gripped the arm rest of his chair tighter as the footsteps stopped in front of his door.

Everything seemed to go in slow motion as Bakura slowly made his way into the room, Ryou was fighting the urge to put on the fake smile he had used for so long when he looked at his brother. He could usually tell right off the bat what kind of mood his brother was in from living with him for so long but right then he was scared shitless when he couldn't read his brother at all. 'Man Malik and Marik must have talked to him. I am so in for it!' The orderly who escorted Bakura called out 45 minutes and left shutting the door behind him. As soon as Ryou's eyes left the guard they once again fell on his brother who hadn't made any type of sound or move since he entered. His face was still blank as he starred on not sure if he should wait for his brother to speak or break the ice himself. 'Man what do I do?!'

His brother continued staring at him with a look of slight pain in his eyes.

"How are you?" Bakura's voice was the same as always, raspy and deep but in a comforting way. But the way he spoke the words just then sounded dead. Ryou felt his heart clench.

"P-pretty good. It's been a while hasn't it," he said trying to look anywhere but directly at his brother.

"Yeah." Ryou just sat there feeling almost alien from his brother as he sat there in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt while Ryou adorned the normal hospital garb, with his pale features and small body made him look all the more different from his own brother. "Why," the small noise made Ryou think he was hearing things, it was so strained and so soft he wasn't sure if his brother actually said anything. Bakura looked him strait in the eye with some kind of mixture of pain and anger shining in the crimson orbs. "Why did you do that? How the hell could you do that," his voice was rising quite quickly and was almost on the brink of yelling. "You know how much it hurts; you remember how it was after mom died. Do you hate me that much that you have to do something like that? You could have just told me."

"I don't hate you! I love you, you're my brother! You're the only thing I had left!" Ryou was almost hysterical at his brother's outburst.

"Then why Ryou? Just tell me why," he asked his voice begging for an answer of some kind, any kind.

"Because…." Bakura waited holding his breath as his brother finally broke. Tears silently tricked down his face to land in his lap. "I was stupid. I loved you so much I hurt myself." Bakura looked taken back by this answer; it was definitely not something he was expecting.

"How the hell can you say that?! How can you loving me make you do what you did?"

"Because I loved you so much," his voice hitched as his steady stream of tears continued. "I never wanted to see you sad like that again; I did everything I could to make you happy. Even if it meant I wasn't happy, and even after mom died it only got worse. I couldn't stop; I just wanted to make you happy because I thought I could live with it…if only you were happy. But I couldn't. I was so sad, so depressed, when I said you were all I had left, I mean you and only you. You could make me hang out with your friends all you wanted but it wouldn't make us friends. Half of your friends I couldn't even stand. It got to the point where I felt nothing but pain, I was so tired. I'd been doing it for so long I didn't think I could change and that's when I started cutting. It was my own fault. I'm such an idiot."

"I'm sorry, I should have done something! Anything! How couldn't I notice my own brother was killing himself!?" Bakura's voice seemed as pained as the look on his face.

"It wasn't your fault; I was stupid, for not trusting you more."

"You don't trust me?"

"I want to now. But then…I didn't think I could trust you to be strong. You were so sad and weak mentally after mom died, I guess even though you were physically stronger and bigger than me I still saw you like I did when we were kids."

"Weren't you always the cry baby?"

"Only so you wouldn't have to be." A silence slowly slid into the gap following the outburst. Ryou got a hold of himself and wiped away a few stray tears and looked up at his brother who seemed to be wondering something. He saw he wanted to ask him something but he didn't know how. 'Bakura, what's wrong,' Ryou silently voice his own question that he also didn't know how to ask.

Anzu was not having the greatest time either, as she came into the room and saw her parents for the first time in months. They had been rattling off questions about how she was and what she'd been up to the last few months. 'Seriously I've been in an mental institution the last few months there's not a lot to do. It's not like I can go shopping.' But even as they continued to treat her like this was no big deal which annoyed the hell out of her, she was glad to finally see them again after so long. She even began tearing up but blinked them back quickly.

"All of your friends have been asking about you. Shizuka, Jou, Honda, Yugi. It's too bad we didn't have more notice, they had letters they wanted to give to you when we saw you again." Her mom still had an arm around her shoulder which Anzu was grateful for. Besides Ryou she hadn't had any real physical contact she'd wanted in months. This felt nice, like when she was little and sick and her mom would hold her until she fell asleep. "We're so glad you can talk again, hopefully you won't be here too much longer. You can come home and everything can go back to normal."

"Normal," she asked quietly.

"Just like before." Anzu's mood grew into a melancholy state as she thought this over. 'Do I want it to be like it was before…do I want to be that person again? Can I? I don't think I am that strong.' Anzu's father noticed her distress.

"Honey what's wrong? It doesn't all have to happen the day you come home. I mean you've been in the hospital for months; they can wait a while before you go back to work. Though I'm sure Shizuka and Ootogi will be trying to get you back on your feet." Anzu didn't know if she could keep this up. Before they could continue to probe and plan the orderly came in to say their time was up. Her parents got up kissing her and saying they loved her before they left. Visitors came last and left first to make sure there were no escape attempts. She vaguely wondered how Ryou was doing when she heard raised voices through the wall. She arched an eyebrow and walked closer to the wall pressing her ear against it. There were two voices, one was much lower and rough but the other she was sure was Ryou's! She felt her heart race and begin to ache as she once again brought her mind back to the problem at hand. Would they be able to see each other again? Would they be punished? She felt her heart almost break when she heard a few loud sniffles but everything seemed to get really quiet after that.

'Ryou…' She looked over at the door and peaked through the window and saw no orderly in site. She opened the door looking into the hall. They didn't lock the doors as when people were visiting the gate to the main entrance was locked. Anzu peered down and saw the guard and her parents were just getting to the double gate so she slipped out of her room and slipped to the one next to hers getting on her tip toes to peek into the window. There seemed to be some kind of stand off going on as each boy was silently sitting there doing absolutely nothing. She didn't know what she was doing or why she was doing it. But she did know Ryou had gone out on a limb for her and she needed to help him. She knocked on the window making both boys look up and around the room in shock before Ryou's eyes finally caught hers in the tiny window.

"Anzu!" Bakura got up and turned to see what his brother was staring at. His eyes got huge.

"That's the girl in the picture Malik had." Ryou and Anzu both winced as they heard that though Anzu got a sheepish expression on her face before she squealed slightly and her head fell out of the tiny window as footsteps were heard thundering down the hall, the orderlies heads flashing by as they went to the door that had just shut next to their own room. "What the hell was that?" Ryou couldn't help it, as serious a moment as he and his brother had just had the look on her face right before the orderlies came after her was too much. He was holding onto the table as he started laughing out loud, holding his side and having his first really big laugh in a long time. Bakura looked at him like his brother had just grown a second head before his face also contorted into a weird looking grin and finally started laughing as well.

Even as Anzu was now being escorted down the hall she was smiling as she heard their laughter. 'Even if that is the last time I see him, at least I can remember him being happy because of me.'

Back in the room the boys were slowly calming down as Ryou took his seat again. Bakura had gained his composure first but didn't mind his brother continuing to enjoy it a little longer. It had been so long since he'd heard his brother laugh like that. It felt good, like they were kids again. But the question Bakura had wanted to ask and had seemed like such a hard task now didn't seem so hard.

"So, who is she," he asked his voice giving away he was still in a good mood for which Ryou was glad.

"Her name is Anzu. She's been here longer then me, but I guess I'm her first real friend here."  
"Why is she here? She seems a little odd but I saw the pictures of you two at the club and she seemed fine." Ryou gulped and felt his face heat up immediately. In the hospital they had shared a few stolen kisses when no one was around. But at the club he knew they openly kissed and there was a good chance Malik got a good snap or two of that. But he shook that away for now and focused on answering his brother's question."

"She's here because she had something really horrible done to her and she lost her voice and memory because of it."

"Her memory," his brother asked a bit shocked.

"Just her memory about the thing that was done to her. Besides that she's fine. She's really nice, and funny, and she even has a kick ass duel monsters deck. Though mine is good too." Bakura quirked an eyebrow knowing fully well his brother didn't take his deck because Malik wanted to borrow it the other day.

"What deck?"

"Huh? Oh she had a lot of extras so she gave them to me and I put a sloppy but decent deck together with them."

"She's a lot nicer then you, you don't share your cards with anyone," Bakura said annoyed and nearly fainted when he saw his brother pout. He had never seen more then a smile or a blank look on his brothers face in so long. All these new emotions from his brother made his heart ache. Knowing that he was just now living in things other people took for granted. "She seems really nice but I need to know, this whole visiting thing is because you're in trouble isn't it?"

Ryou's smile faltered and a sad one replaced the one he had a moment ago. "Perceptive as usual." Bakura felt a twinge of guilt knowing as perceptive as he was he didn't notice something like what was happening to Ryou. But he pushed it aside as he knew his time with his brother was dwindling.

"What happened? How did you get out? Why? I mean I know you're not a party animal. So was it her…?" Ryou felt pretty pissed at the comment and his face showed it but his rational side was somehow keeping him in check telling him he didn't know Anzu or the situation at all.

"It was her birthday. Like me she hadn't been allowed visitors, even her parents, in months and I'm the only friend she has besides her doctor. I thought it was a pretty sad way to spend your birthday."

"But a club?"

"She would have settled for an arcade but I wanted something bigger."

"What do you mean?" Bakura was getting more confused with the answers his brother was giving him."

"I mean she liked dancing, she had a dance dance game a few months back before some kids broke it and I wanted to let her dance."

"How the hell did you get out though? And how did you get the money and cloths?"

"I borrowed some stuff." He tried not to look his brother in the eye as he said this.

"Ryou you stole," Bakura all but yelled.

"Not stole," Ryou quickly defended himself. "I _borrowed_ a few cloths from different doctors so they wouldn't notice right away and I was going to give them back."

"The money?"

"Just spare change the doctors had around the office."  
"The breakout?"

"I surveyed the area and memorized when everything happened."  
"Ryou, if you weren't going to be in deep shit for this," he said his face stone before a sly grin broke out. "I'd be damn proud of you." Ryou nearly face faulted but had to remember Bakura and his friends were no angels and had stolen on occasion from convenience stores. But after all the trouble he caused he was sure his brother was going to be a bit mad. But maybe things weren't as bad as they seemed. There was a knock on the door as the orderly came in to call time up. Bakura got up looking over his brother once more smiling.

"You've changed," he said in all seriousness but the smile still present on his face, as he came up and grabbed his brother into a bear hug. "I'm glad. Everyone always thought you seemed too damn cheerful," he said smirking. He got swatted at by his brother but Ryou was also smiling.

"Well I'll show them once I'm out of here."  
"What and leave this all behind?" Bakura snickered as Ryou just gave a lopsided smile and his brother waved as he went out the door. "I'll see you on the outside." Ryou sat back in the chair a smiled still on his face as he blocked out the upcoming encounter with the warden and just enjoyed the time he had had with his brother.

In a security room the same male psychiatrist who was talking to Ryou earlier was jotting down notes as the brothers said their farewells. The image and sound playing on a screen in front of him. Pegasus came up behind him and put a hand on his shoulder to get his attention.

"Have you collected the last of your data?" The worker nodded. "I'll give you and Dr.Tamara an hour to converse and structure your results before you report back to me understand?"

"Hai," he replied quickly and went off in search of his colleague.

Pegasus watched the screen as it flickered slightly. The black and white image horrible but still able to see the figure getting up from the chair and leaving the room being led by the orderly. He watched the empty room for a few more seconds before he turned on his heal and walked towards his office.

Ryou was nervous as he was being marched down the hall once again after sitting in his room an hour. But this time they had went behind the reception desk in the front entrance to the elevator behind it. Ryou gulped as it went passed the second floor, the third floor, and came to rest on the fourth floor. 'What's on the fourth floor?' The doors opened to reveal a long hallway with many doors on either side that reminded him of the rooms on the first floor for appointments. They came to the end which was a reception room with a secretary who escorted them right back into the main room, meaning Pegasus' Office.

Ryou nearly chocked as he saw Anzu there just a couple feet in front of him sitting in a chair. She turned as she heard someone come in and smiled looking relived to see him again after the little door thing earlier.

"Ryou." But before he could respond Pegasus entered.

"Please Ryou take a seat," he said referring to the one on the other side of Dr. Kujaku who was next to Anzu. He did so and glanced at the two women next to him before his eyes once again focused on the man in front of him. He looked to the two doctors that Anzu and Ryou had talked to earlier standing behind the chairs of the two patients.

"Dr. Tamara, Dr.Tanaka, can you please tell us your findings on our two patients here."

"Patient Mazaki Anzu, age 17 a resident of the hospital for the last five months. Came in with psychological amnesia with a coupling side effect of voice loss and tension when in close proximity of others. In the first three months there was almost no progress made. But in the last month or so she had had a great improvement including regaining speech ability and an almost fully regained memory." Pegasus nodded and turned his attention to the second physician.

"Patient Bakura Ryou, age 16 a resident of the hospital for almost two months. Came in with repressed emotions that resulted in self inflicted wounds, aka cutting. Almost the entire first month he fought the program and ended up in the infirmary after smashing his fist into a wall causing himself bodily hard. In which he was warned if he once again got into trouble he would be sent to security level two. Once out of the infirmary he began to recover quickly and did well in all sessions provided. But also within the last twenty four hours both patients escaped the hospital after stealing from the doctors trying to help them and causing panic." Pegasus held his chin in his hands as he was deep in thought.

"You also observed them separately yourselves and observed them with visitors." Both of them had shocked looks on their faces at knowing their visits hadn't been as private as they thought. Ryou looked down right pissed and Anzu looked ready to cry.

"Yes we have," spoke the physician behind Anzu.

"And your findings?" Both doctors turned to look at one another before the doctor behind Ryou spoke.

"Though the patient has a problem with authority it would not benefit him in any way to be moved to a higher level security zone."

"You both agree on that?" Both of them nodded as he turned his head to the other physician. "And you?"

"The patient is making a great recovery and would not benefit in any way to be moved to a higher security zone."

"You both agree on that?" Both of them nodded, and the two teens let out sighs of relief at hearing the good news looking at each other smiling.

"As it is both of you are recovering nicely, however…" Anzu and Ryou's faces lost their happy shine as they listened expectantly dreading the next few words out of his mouth. "As it is you cannot go unpunished. Even though you have good influences on each other you also have bad influences on each other. From here on out you are reassigned to new physicians.

"No," Ryou yelled standing up but the doctor behind him put a hand on his shoulder and set him back in his seat.

"Dr. Tamara for Ms. Mizaki and Dr. Tanaka for Mr. Bakura. Though Dr. Kujaku may have a hand in helping she is not to see either patient physically. Also from here on out you will not have contact with each other at all. Until the day of your release in which you are allowed to try and visit the other you are not allowed to see each other. Not in the main room, not in the hallways, and not in each others rooms. If either of you are found together even by accident you will be sent to level two immediately no questions asked, no review, nothing. We will have people monitoring you so that such accidents do not occur unless they are not really accidents." He took a moment to let all this information sink in to the two in front of him. "That will be all."

"Mr. Crawford," Mai said standing and finally speaking up.

"Yes Dr. Kujaku."

"Something like this is very stressful and so sudden, please let them have an hour to say goodbye and cope." Pegasus didn't answer right away and Mai looked at him pleadingly, "Please." It was another moment before he nodded and waved his hand.

"One hour in one of their rooms, but no longer." Mai nodded. 'I'm so sorry I can't do anything else,' she thought looking sadly at her two former patients. The two looked into each others eyes now that Mai was standing and no longer between them and tried to find silent comfort in the other, but saw only a reflection of their own pain.

AN: Wow that was LONG. But it was worth it. Can anyone guess what kind of work Anzu's parents were talking about? And god no it's nothing illegal or bad before anyone guesses like that. Anyway hope you enjoyed!


	12. Separation

AN: OMG! I LIVE! I made it through the semester happy dance. And I updated! I am taking this off hiatus though I don't know if it will go back on once school starts again on the 5th. But since I have limited time I am going to TRY (Meaning will give it my best shot but may not be able to) update every three days. That and I have to finish that one shot for the contest; it's going to be a Ryou/Anzu so look for it! Anyway not many notes here. But I had a lot of time jumps because I didn't have a lot of significant stuff going on except some angst building and I have enough of that in here so that's why I speed up time a bit . Also later the scene with the cops, I didn't do it because it was straight forward and I've repeated what happened (although a bit in chunks) what happened enough times where it's getting repetitive. I hate that in anime and I won't do it in a fic. Anyway hope it's not too crappy after just coming back to writing and hope you enjoy!

Japanese:

Oniichan – Older Brother

Disclaimer: I no own Yugioh, though I wish I owned two certain white haired bishies! I'll just have to settle for plushies for now.

"Leave Sanity at The Door"

Chapter 12: "Separation"

She felt like she was being ripped in two. They weren't going to a high level security and it sounded like they might be released soon. But….she couldn't see him. She held back her tears trying to put up a brave front until they made it to her room, that's where they planned to let them say 'goodbye.'

Ryou was stuck in shock the first few minutes after he said that. 'Can he do that? Would he do that? This can't be happening!' But once shock was over it was replaced by anger, the depression. 'Of course he can do this, he runs the damn place!' He felt like screaming and crying at the same time. Up until that moment he considered this to be a good day with being able to see his brother. He was knocked from his revere as she quietly spoke.

"They're gone." He looked up to see they were in her room and indeed the orderlies were gone, he hadn't even noticed they'd arrived yet.

"Anzu," he said turning to face her with a disheartened look on his face which only got worse as he saw silent tears streaming down her face before she grabbed him in a hug around the waist holding on for dear life as if that could keep him here.

"How can he do this? He can't can he?"

"Anzu…" He couldn't tell her what they both already knew, so he just put his arms around her and held her close trying to comfort her sobs. "It'll be ok, really. I mean they said that we could visit again when one of us gets out, and by the sounds of it it'll be you. You've been here longer, and you're making faster progress."

"I don't care," she all but screamed. "I-I don't want to be away from you."

"It'll just be for a little while ok?" He was really trying not to cry himself. Mostly because the last time he wanted to cry this badly was when his mother died. 'Come on you have to be strong,' he forced a smile on his face but that seemed to make her cry harder.

"Please don't," she whispered through a harsh cry. "I don't want to see you smile unless it's real." He felt almost ashamed as he was drawn back to what he was doing before he came there. He held her until her cries became quieter and he leaned down kissing the last few tears trying to make their way down her cheek. She put a hand on the side of his face and wiped a few stray tears of his own away before they leaned closer their lips slowly touching trying to convey emotions they could barely grasp themselves. Trying to give each other a bit of their own strength through that one action that brought them closer together.

Anzu was the first to slowly pull away looking into his soft brown eyes that were still wet with unshed tears she knew he'd probably release once back in his own room. "Anzu, you trust me right?" She was a bit shocked at the desperation she heard in his voice. She nodded afraid of her own voice right then. "Promise me you'll get stronger and get out of here. And when you do, don't forget me."

"B-Baka," she all but screamed gripping him tightly. "I promise I'll get out and come back for you. I-I'll wait for you." She felt him stiffen before he pulled her closer into his embrace.

"I was afraid to ask that of you, but if you can seriously say that, I can seriously say this…I love you." Anzu felt tears well up in her eyes again as her voice caught in her throat. In all the time they had known each other and all the time they had spent together he had never said that to her before. But just like that, the perfect moment was ruined as the orderlies came and grabbed him to escort him out. She tried desperately to tell him she felt the same, that she loved him more then life itself. But his brave confession had stunned her temporarily into silence as she fell weakly to her knees, tears streaming silently down her face. The door was closed leaving her in the dark room as she whispered the words only she could hear, "I love you…"

She held her coat tightly against her body as the chilly autumn air whipped against her harshly. She took a good look around at the grass slowly turning a darker green and brown in some areas as autumn fought against the dying summer heat. She turned her eyes to the building behind her and gripped something in her pocket as she looked up at it and wondered where he was right then. Today she was being released home to her parents. She had put everything she had into recovery after her separation hoping against all odds to get out of there. The loneliness ate away at her like piranha ravenously savoring her anguish. But she pushed it all to the back of her mind and mentally yelled at herself to be stronger. The only way she'd ever see him again was if she got out of here. So three and a half weeks later after much suffering and pain she had found a hold on this reality of hers and they had finally declared she was fit to be released. Her parents had been thrilled, of course.

She knew her parents were good deep down but she had to wonder if her mother was happier for her return for other reasons. She knew her mom would try and get her and Shizuka and Duke back together ASAP, but she doubted if her dad would let her on her first day back home. 'Home…' Even as she thought it, this word did not bring up the image of the house she had grown up in her entire life, but instead…him. She gripped the coin in her pocket tighter, the same coin she had found buried in the spot behind the bushes where they had first 'met.' She smiled at the thought. She couldn't place what kind of coin it was, but she knew it was from him and she had kept it near her always. It was then a yellow taxi pulled up and her mother got out ushering her into the warm car smiling and hugging her. She got in and found her dad sitting on the other side of the taxi, keeping her in the middle.

"Anzu we're both so glad you're finally coming home with us. This whole thing has been so hard on you; we just want you back and happy again." Anzu's smile faded slightly but stay put. As it was she wanted to run back in the building and demand to see him. But Pegasus had warned her she was to return home for a minimum of three days before she would be allowed to visit any of her friends back here. He had said it as a courtesy even though both of them knew there was only one person here she wanted to see.

She kept the small smile on her face as her mom went on and on about all the things they were going to do once she was home. Which wiped the smile completely from her face as she remembered something. "Mom," she said quietly interrupting her mother who didn't seem to mind and waited for her to continue. "When are they coming to see me?" She avoided her mothers gaze and the question seemed to have sucked all the happiness from her. She didn't have to say who 'they' were; they both knew she meant the police. She wasn't able to give a real statement since she had been in a psychiatric hospital and they couldn't base anything from what she had said in there. But now that she was out, she was finally going to report him. She felt the bit of fear that always seemed to try and creep into heart whenever she thought of it tighten its hold, but that just made her hold the coin tighter until it was pressed painfully into her palm and the fear faded away.

"Tomorrow, they wanted to let you rest up and enjoy a day back. They said they'd be over about noon." Anzu nodded her head in agreement.

"Sorry mom, I just want to get passed this. I've been trying to for all these months and now I just want to get it done with and put it behind me to get back to my life." She gave her mom a genuine smile that seemed to revive her mother's energy from a few minutes ago.

"That's good because your friends are coming over tomorrow after you talk to them. They tried setting up an ambush on you today to welcome you back, but we told them you just got your voice back and shouldn't be wearing it out so soon." Anzu giggled and looked over to her father who was smiling at the two in silence, just glad his little girl was back.

"If you were that serious you could call up Shizuka and tell her and she'd make sure I rested. She's probably keep me under lock and key in my room and not let me out unless I had to go the bathroom or eat or something."

"Yeah but she'd also probably keep that up even after you got your strength back," her mom joked. It was true even though Shizuka was younger then her when it came to her best friend since the first grade she'd do anything for her. Which in a way kind of scared Anzu but it was still nice to know she had someone like that. But even as she thought back to the life awaiting her, and all of her old friends waiting with open arms and smiles and going back to her life before she remembered her promise. It was more then just the promise, she felt an ache in her heart, the same ache she'd had since a piece of it had been taken away from her.

'I will come back for you Ryou. Just wait, in a few more days…' She felt her eyes watering as her heart seemed to race as his image took form in her head. 'In a few more days…I can see him again.' This time she couldn't help the single tear that slid down her face and her mom noticed.

"Anzu, what's wrong," she asked concerned how her daughter seemed so happy a minute ago.

"I'm just so happy," she said and meant it, though her mother thought it was for a different reason, she was happy none the less.

It felt kind of weird to be lying in her own bed again, comforter pulled up to her chin as she lay on her side staring out the window as the rain pelted against the glass creating tiny rivers streaming down to the ground. The police had left a little over an hour ago, and she felt more drained then she had in so long. She desperately wanted to see Ryou, to be in his arms, for him to whisper it'd be all right. She clutched the pillow tighter fighting off the tears.

Even as she had already relived the terror once when she regained her memories and tried to work through them, it still hurt every time she thought of it. But the police had been kind and let her take her time on the matter. They were a little startled to hear just who it was. Most likely the story would be all over the news by tomorrow. The police had already told her this would all be confidential until the trial and it would be closed off to the public. Even though they tried to reassure her, she was pretty sure it would eventually get out, and she didn't even want to think of when it did. They'd probably accuse her of all these horrible things, and dig up weird things from the past that had no ties to the event. Or worse…they'd find out about her and Ryou…She silently prayed if nothing else to let Ryou stay out of it. He was no part of this and she didn't want him brought into the spotlight because of her.

What was worse was while she was in the hospital the group Doom had soared to the top of the charts and were now idols. Trying to say such things about an idol would definitely cause some backlash for her. 'Why had it been me? Why couldn't he find someone who liked him like that? Why me?' Her eyes flew open as she felt like she had just been slapped in the face. "What am I doing?! Sitting here in self pity! Ryou wouldn't let me do this and neither will I! And I am keeping my promise to him! The day after tomorrow I'm going to see him!" Just as she was going to continue her boosting little rant her mother called from downstairs.

"Anzu I have a group of people down here who've been waiting a few months to see you." Anzu blinked coming out of her own little world and back to reality as her mother knocked and opened the door. The first thing she saw was watery violet eyes as she was glomped before she had a chance to recognize the person. Though there was only one person she knew with violet eyes like that.

"Yugi, it's so good to see you again!" She was able to pry his arms a bit loosening the hold from a death grip to a firm hug and hugged him back. "I missed you so much!"

"Hey what about us, we chopped liver?" She looked behind Yugi at the small group of people waiting at her door. Jou was standing there next to his sister who desperately looked like she wanted a hug as well. Next to her was Ootogi smiling and keeping some distance between Shizuka and his long time rival in love, Honda. And a bigger surprise came to her as she looked over and beside him was…

"Yami! What are you doing here?!" He was smiling brightly, brighter then the last time she had seen him. Yami and she had dated in their junior high years but soon after she got into high school and joined up with Shizuka and Ootogi they broke up. They were both more then a bit hurt but had agreed it was for the best. But soon after that he had decided to study abroad over in Egypt where he knew some people. It hurt to know the reason Yugi's brother left was because of her, but Yugi always told her it wasn't her fault and he was glad she was still his friend.

"I heard you were coming home and I had to come see you. How are you?" For some reason the thought, 'dumb question,' came into her mind and she tried not to sweat-drop.

"Not real bad, glad to finally be home. It feels so weird, like coming home from summer camp or something."

"Summer camp? Anzu I think you were there too long," Shizuka joked lightly testing the water as it were to see if her friend was up for some joking. She was relieved when Anzu cracked a smile and giggled.

"I know, I know, it's not even close but the feeling of being home again after so long is the same."

"They were nice to you right," Yugi said in a wavering voice looking quite worried.

"Of course Yugi. Why would you think otherwise…," as she said this she sent a calculating towards Jou and Honda as they tried to play innocent. Too bad Jou's sister wasn't about to let anyone think he was innocent.

"They told Yugi that sometimes they use electrodes and shock you and starve you and other creepy stuff." The look she was giving the two boys now was an all out glare.

"Of course not Yugi, nothing close to that happened to me. And the only really creepy thing there is the mystery veggies they served every other Saturday." Yugi smiled and once again began to death grip her making everyone sweat drop until Shizuka pried him off and took his place.

"Wow it's good to hear from you after all these months, literally," she said with a chuckle.

"I know, it's still a bit odd having my voice back even now. Sometimes someone asks me something and I automatically go to write it down or something before I catch myself and just talk." Shizuka finally let go of her grip on Anzu and sat back on the bed.

"So when do you think you'll be coming back to school," asked Honda tired of being quiet in the doorway. But he got a quick elbow in the stomach from Ootogi as Anzu's smile quickly disappeared. She wasn't really looking forward to school, no one who knew what happened had said a word about why she suddenly dropped out or why, and she knew there would be some questions awaiting her when she came back. With as long as she'd been gone they'd probably think she was pregnant or something. She sweat-dropped at the thought.

"Anzu? Hello," Shizuka said calling her friend back from lala-land.

"Huh? Oh sorry, just thinking about how much fun that's going to be," she said sarcasm dripping from her words. Shizuka flinched slightly but didn't back away.

"Sheesh it's not that bad. No one said anything at first then they all said you died or had to go into hiding like with the witness protection program."

"And you didn't set them straight," Anzu all but yelled.

"You wanted us to tell them where you were," Shizuka asked baffled.

"No but you could have said it at least wasn't that!"

"But that was a lot nicer then the one that came later so when it came up we went with the first."

"The one that came later?"

"A lot of people said you got knocked up by a teacher since Mt.Yamada the gym teacher left about two weeks after you," Jou said not so tactfully. Ootogi just sighed into his hand as Anzu's left eye twitched, 'I was right on,' she thought as her anger peaked at her classmates (minus her friends) idiocy!

"WHAT?!"

"He means a lot of people thought you were pregnant but we set them strait on that," Ootogi reassured her. He may have been the playboy of the group but he had a decent head on his shoulders when he wasn't being swarmed by fan girls. "Don't worry about school yet Anzu, come back when you're ready," he reassured her and came over to put a calming hand on her shoulder. Under any normal circumstances he would have tried to put a move on her in a playful attempt but he knew better now. "And when you are we'll be right here with you. We know the truth and we'll be your friends no matter what." This got a round of nods from everyone else.

"And if anyone wants to say otherwise I'll give them a piece of my mind," said Jou. "Unless it's a girl," he said as an after thought. "Then I'll have Shizuka go after them."

"Oniichan," she whined at the insult. They were interrupted by a knock on her door as her mom entered.

"I know it seems like you all just got here, but it's been a while and it's time for your pill Anzu." Anzu sighed feeling like a total nutcase reject right then who had to pop pills. In all truthfulness it was a very light sedative to calm her. Pegasus had instructed her to take it for the first three days she was home as he knew of her plan to talk to the police and how taxing it would be on her. Even though she hated the bastard for separating her and Ryou it seemed like he did have her interest at heart. She nodded as her friends groaned and started back towards the door.

"Sorry Anzu but we probably won't be able to stop by again until the weekend." Anzu felt saddened and it showed, but a the same time was a bit relieved as that was five days away, today being Sunday, and she wouldn't have to juggle time between her friends and Ryou right away.

"It's ok, I'm just so happy to see you all again, I missed you all so much," she said trying to fight back tears.

"Awww," and once again Yugi was hugging Anzu. But even as he was hugging her everyone else also came up and gave their friend a hug goodbye.

"Even if we can't come and see you Anzu, if you need us just give us a call," said Shizuka as they were heading out the door. "And I mean it." Anzu nodded making sure to blink back the tears as her friend waved and left through the doorway. Anzu turned to her mother again and sighed as she was handed the pill. As she put it in her mouth and took a sip of water she couldn't help but think, 'just two more days.'

Her mother left soon after, even though it was only a light sedative today had been taxing on her. She quickly slumped down in her bed looking over to her window to see the rain had stopped and the clouds were slowly dissipating. 'Just two more days…wait for me Ryou...'

Anzu fidgeted again standing at the bus stop watching as girls going to different high schools in their uniforms eyed her wondering if she was old enough to be out of high school or just skipping. She didn't mind though, she was going to see him today, after almost a month; she was going to see Ryou again! Her smile was so bright it could have given Mr. Clean's head a run for its money (AN: I'm sorry bad joke).

The day before she had explained to her mother that even though she was out she promised a close friend she'd visit when she got out. She hid the fact that this friend was male and that she happened to be kind of dating him. Her mother knew about the escape about a month ago, but she had explained it and her mother had kind of brushed it aside, happier with her having her voice back at the time.

She had gotten up extra early this morning, eating and dressing in almost the blink of an eye, leaving a note as she had left before her parents even woke up. She had made it to the bus stop and gotten her route there down writing it on a slip of paper and even trying to memorize it as she waited the 45 minutes for the bus to arrive. She had gotten a few weird looks but she didn't care, nothing could ruin this day for her. She watched in anticipation as the bus slowly pulled up and opened the doors. She was the first on taking a seat towards the back as it would be a long ride before she had to get off and take a second bus to get close to the hospital and a third that went by it. She didn't care how long it took or how much money it cost, she was getting there!

Two hours later even though she was a bit tired, her energy seemed to double as she felt the bus slowing for its next stop. She felt as giddy as she had a few hours ago, images of his face coming into her head as she took a step off the bus and made her way down the road towards the hospital. Images of the first time she saw him, his soft white hair, his gentle brown eyes, his wide beautiful smile. She felt her heart race as she once again thought of the last thing he said to her 'I love you…' She didn't even try to hide her blush until she got to the little side road leading to the hospital and saw it sitting a ways back on a hill.

She looked up at the almost ominous building she had been living in until three days ago. But she shook her head and continued on into the building to the reception desk. She should have made an appointment but she could wait all day for him to get a free minute if she had to.

"Hello, can I help you," the receptionist asked noticing the familiar girl.

"Yes, I'd like to visit one of the patients please. A Ryou Bakura." She continued smiling as the woman typed up the name and the computer made a small bleeping sound.

"Are you sure it's Ryou Bakura? B-a-k-u-r-a?"

"Well I think so; I'm not too sure on his last name. But I know his first name is Ryou." The woman typed on her computer a bit more her face slowly slipping into a frown.

"The only Ryou we have registered as a patient is a Ryou Hoshimaru on the third level. People on the third level can not have visitors." Anzu felt her heart racing a thousand miles an hour as she came to grasp the information in front of her, her hope quickly dieing.

"But-No I know there is another Ryou. I saw him just about a month ago."

"That may be true dear, but the only reason I wouldn't be getting him on my screen was if he was gone."

"Gone?" Anzu felt like her heart and sunk to her stomach.

"I'm reception, I only have current patients. If he's not a current patient he's been released."

"So he's released," she asked excitedly her mood beginning to pick back up. The nurse nodded. "Can I have his address please?"

"I'm sorry that's restricted information."

"W-what?!"

"First of all, like I said I'm the receptionist, I only have information on current patients. Second, we have a privacy policy that we cannot give out any information on patients without some kind of legal document. I'm sorry but I can't help you." Anzu sat there in shock for a moment before nodding dumbly and walking out the double doors and stopping looking at the ground trying to hold back her tears.

"This can't be real. He got out but now I can't find him. But…," her thought caught in her head as her heart gave a painful lurch. 'But if he was out why didn't he see me? Ryou…Ryou what's going on?!' She couldn't help the anguished sobs that came from her lips and let the tears flow freely.

AN: Good? Bad? Ugly? Please give me some info after such a long break I wanna make sure my writing didn't go down the crapper. Hope you enjoyed!


	13. Finding a Heart in Domino

AN: Ok the thing here is I started the last chapter Tuesday and planned on putting it up that night and putting one up Thursday. But I got to the last page and didn't finish and thought it was half assed to write one page and post so I did another chapter even though I don't know if my writing is ok or not right now. Anyway sorry if the hacking scene sounds too low tech but I was reminiscing about Hackers, I love that movie. Anyway the music video I describe is made up by me, but the song is by Boa and is the seventh ending off inu yasha. You wanna download it check out my link below by the song, it's on my own website and I'm being nice by doing this so please don't rag on me because it's low resolution. And I think that's it for notes so I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I no own Yugioh, though I wish I owned two certain white haired bishies! I'll just have to settle for plushies for now. Also don't own Boa's song Come or Inu Yasha which the song was on (hmm another white haired bishie).

* * *

"Leave Sanity at The Door"

Chapter 13: "Finding a Heart in Domino"

He lay sprawled out on his bed, his head whirling. So many things had happened in the last few days and he wasn't sure if any of them were good. He had gotten out quite quickly, at least he thought so considering a month ago they were considering moving him up to a higher level. Guess becoming a bit of a brown-noser helped. He didn't care as long as he could get out and see her again. But as soon as he got out Pegasus, the bastard had put a three day restraint on him. As soon as he was allowed some kind of freedom he got a collar of a new color strapped onto his neck.

He hated the idea outright but only showed disgust. He kept telling himself 'it's only three days. She wouldn't sweat three days.' Three days had come and his hope had gone. He had come to find out she had already been released. He had been ecstatic until he found out he couldn't get any of her info. It wasn't registering to him until he was on the bus home. She had gotten out before him, but she hadn't come seen him. 'But she promised.' He wasn't sure what to think anymore. It had been just his brother and him since he came home, he didn't really expect his dad to be home. But still he had wondered why his brother's friends hadn't been over to bother him since he got home. He had told his brother he was going to see Anzu and it was his brother who had to help him keep it together after he got home. That was yesterday and today when he had woken up his brother was gone. He wondered if things were going back to the way they used to be.

'He's stayed home with me the last three days, but he does have school. It's not like he can miss every day I'm also home. I wonder when I'm going back. Maybe I just shouldn't. I feel so pathetic and weak. Anzu, if only I could see your face for a moment.' He shut his eyes tight and tried to fight the darkness it created. Begging for some light to dispel his darkness.

She wiped the last few tears away as she hugged her pillow closer. She'd been crying since she got home earlier and thankfully her mom hadn't asked her anything about it. At least not yet. She had felt totally crushed, how could he forget about her in one month?! And after he made her promise not to forget him! 'But something…just doesn't seem right. This doesn't seem like him at all.' She sniffled wiping her nose as she looked outside. The sun was shining; birds chirping getting ready to head south for the winter, kids were playing after school. 'What a perfect day for misery.'

But the kids outside reminded her of something. 'Schools out, my friends are home.' The temptation to give in and bawl out her problems to her friends was so tempting but…'What do I say? Hey when I was in the loony bin I was dating this guy and we promised to get out and visit each other. But it looks like he took off and forgot about me.' She nearly burst into tears even as she was just trying to mock herself for being so stupid. 'But they are my friends. If they can't help me, who can?' Once again an image of his face popped into her mind and she grabbed the phone punching in a number.

"Ok so she said he was released right," came the reassuring voice of Anzu's best friend Shizuka as she calmly took in the situation and tried evaluating it.

"Yes," she whimpered slightly replaying the facts in her mind.

"Ok now tell me this, you couldn't go visit him until three days after you got out right?"

"Mmm-hmm."

"Is it possible Pegasus gave him the same restrictions?"

"M-maybe, but what does that matter," she asked fighting a sob.

"Ok this is a BIG assumption since I don't know these people personally. But it sounds like this Pegasus guy doesn't want you and Ryou together. What if he did give him the same restrictions and let you guys out within three days of each other?" It took Anzu's brain a few seconds to register this theory and she almost dropped the phone in shock. 'It makes complete sense.' "I mean he knew you wanted to visit each other once you were out so he put the three day thing up because if you were released on the same day you'd notice. And then when you came to visit you'd think the other forgot about you and get sad and eventually get over it and move on. But like I said I don't know these people as well as you do, so it's just a theory. What do you think Anzu?" She got a long silence on the other side of the phone. "Anzu? Anzu are you still there?" Before she could prepare herself her eardrums were punctured by the sound of her friends voice shouting 'THAT BASARD!'

"A-Anzu," she yelled trying to get her friends attention as she continued to ramble off obscenities. "Anzu calm down!"

"Calm down! I trusted him! This is the second time he's gone out of his way to keep Ryou and me apart, how can I not be pissed?"

"I'm not saying don't be pissed. Go Loranna Bobbet on him later if it'll make ya feel better. But right now don't you want to be happy?"

"Huh?" Shizuka sighed before beginning. "Well you still want to find Ryou right? I mean if this theory IS right then that means he might think you broke your promise." She heard a gasp on the other side of the line.

"Oh crap no! I have to find him and explain it all! But the nurse wouldn't give me any information!"

"Well then we'll just have to get it some other way. You said it was on a computer right?"

"Yes why?" Anzu was becoming confused by her friend's willingness to help her find a boy she barely met but was happy her friend was willing to not give up so easily. 'I want to be more like her.'

"I think it's time you called in a favor from Yugi." Once again she had lost Anzu with her train of thought.

Anzu and Shizuka were jogging side by side down the road, Shizuka looking down at her watch every so often. "How could you sleep in when you're the one who arranged this," Anzu groaned trying to keep her mind on what was happening, or about to happen.

"I forgot to turn my alarm on, it's not a crime," she whined as they made their way into the middle of Domino square. Anzu leaned over on her knees catching her breath as Shizuka leaned against a nearby lamp post doing the same.

"Yeah well it should be," Anzu groaned finally standing back up and looking around. She spotted her friend Yugi over by an ice cream vender waving at the two. They quickly made their way over to him looking around expectantly.

"Hey Yugi."

"Hey Anzu, Shizuka."

"Thanks for coming Yugi, especially on such short notice," Anzu said glad her friends were willing to actually skip school with her on a Thursday morning just to help her with a guy. Well to her he was more then just 'a guy' but they didn't know him yet. "Thanks for helping with my problem. I mean you don't think I'm too weird right," she asked referring to her having a relationship with someone else in the hospital.

"Of course not. You're my friend and I trust your decision. And he was there for you when we couldn't be, he's already got my vote," he said with a small laugh. She felt herself break a smile glad her friend's were taking this well so far.

"So…where is she?"

"Yugi! Darling, I'm back!" They looked over to see a young girl about 13 or 14 eith should length blond hair and glasses running towards them waving. Just as she got within glomping range she threw herself at Yugi latching herself onto him. "Sorry I took so long, but I really needed to phone in after leaving like that."

"It's fine. Anzu and Shizuka showed up while you were gone." She turned to see the two high school girls standing before her and gave them a look that definitely said she was sizing them up.

"Which one of you is Anzu?" Anzu hesitantly raised her hand wondering if this could really work. Shizuka had informed Anzu that about two weeks after she ended up in the hospital Yugi had started dating this young girl hacker genius named Rebecca. But she lived over in America so it was a long distance thing, but she had been known to hack into KaibaCorp.'s computers on occasion so she thought she could hack into a hospital no problem.

Instead of further scrutinizing her like she thought she would she turned to Shizuka. Shizuka looked just as confused as her and they both wondered why Yugi was sweat-dropping at the whole scenario. "So you're Shizuka," she said looking the girl strait in the eye. "I don't mind you being friends, but if you try to take my darling I won't forgive you," she said striking a determined pose. "But my name is Rebecca Hopkins, nice to meet you." Both of the girls sweat-dropped and Shizuka tried not to fall over. She had a feeling World War III was about to break out between the two so she intervened.

"Ano, can you really help me though?" She once again turned towards Anzu with a friendly smile plastered on her face.

"Of course I can, don't worry. We just have to get to a place that's near deserted with a pay phone, come on I know the perfect place. I was scouting around while heading towards the bathroom." With that she picked up her laptop case that was near Yugi and started to walk away with Yugi walking behind her. Though she wasn't sure, she could have sworn she heard Yugi say, 'Not again.' She just smiled and followed the younger girl, Shizuka right behind her.

"The nerve of her," Shizuka mumbled to her friend. "I know I'm not dating anyone but like I'm going to go and steal somebody's boyfriend right from under their nose. Come on, she gets one look at me and that's what she thinks," she said annoyance thick in her voice as she tried to keep it to a whisper. Anzu once again giggled.

"The way Yugi was looking I think she does this to any girls that are single and don't already like a guy," she said adding the last part after thinking her own situation over.

"Not to sound rude, Yugi's a great guy and all. But why would she be _that_ overprotective of him."

"Shizuka," she hissed as she noticed her friend's voice getting louder. "That's not the point," she said keeping her voice low. "The point is that when you love somebody so much you're afraid of anything that could take it away."

"Ahh," Shizuka said getting a sly smirk on her face. "Love? You know this from experience?" Anzu's face turned bright red and she walked a little faster catching up to Yugi and Rebecca as they came to stop in front of a phone booth.

"OK here's what I need, I can't get interrupted so I need someone watching the ways comming in here so no one will come in and squeal on us. There are only two ways into this small plaza and it's not busy at all so we should be good with one person at each. Try and keep anyone from coming in here by any means possible ok," she said turning to the three.

"Umm ok, but which of us are guarding the entrances," she said felling kind of weird 'guarding' anything.

"You two of course," she said pointing to Yugi and Shizuka. "I need Anzu here to feed me information. Ok, so lets get going," she said breaking out her laptop and setting it on the edge of the phone booth before pulling out a pair of wire cutters. She watched as her friends ran off and took their positions at the entrances and Rebecca hooked up her laptop.

'Why do I feel like I'm in a bad spy movie?' "We're online," Rebecca said cutting into her thoughts. "Ok now you said the name of the hospital was?"

"Hotaru no Hikari." Rebecca typed in some information and popped up a website before popping up three other various programs and a good amount of script Anzu didn't understand began running through the screen.

"I'm going to need a name here in a minute, what is it?"

"Ryou Bakura," she said her voice wavering on the Bakura part.

"Are you sure about that."

"I know his name is Ryou but I only heard his last name a few times. But it has to be close." She nodded and all Anzu could do was sit there and wait as Rebecca typed furiously at the keyboard. Every key stroke seemed imperative as her fingers sailed across the keyboard.

The computer seemed to whine a little and if it was possible Rebecca's typing seemed to get faster as her eyes scanned across the information literally flying across her screen. "Ah-ha!" She quickly typed something in and Anzu saw Ryou's face pop up on the monitor.

"Ah! That's him!" Rebecca smirked proudly as she put a floppy in the drive and began copying it. But just as the copying began the folder on her screen seemed to be being eaten away at. "What's going on?"  
"Crap his security is a lot better then I thought! He got through my firewall! And it looks like he's trying to upload a virus! Oh no you don't damnit!" She began typing feverously again, though as she did this the bar with the progress of the copy seemed to freeze and the computer screen became jammed with more and more windows. "Shit! I gotta abort!"

"What about the file?!" But before she could protest further Rebecca pulled out the wire cutters and cut her connection and quickly did a hard shut down popping the floppy out.

"It got some of it, but what parts I don't know. We can't try and read it on my laptop as it's infected. I need to scan it over the network once we get back. But while we're there we can also read the disk. I just hope this wasn't a total loss."

Rebecca groaned for the fourth time in five minutes as another virus was found and killed. Well this was only the fourth time one was killed; one had to be quarantined, which didn't make her feel any better.

"It'll be ok Rebecca, you backed everything up right before this and once you clean out the virus' you can just reload your stuff," Yugi said trying to comfort her. Anzu and Shizuka didn't know _exactly_ what was going on, but it was apparent this had damaged Rebecca's computer to some extent and it was their fault.

"I'm so sorry Rebecca. I didn't know it would be that bad. I really am sorry." Rebecca wiped the frown off her face and put on a small smile.

"It's ok, Yugi's right I can fix it back up no problem, it'll just take some time. And you never know what security is like until you really get in there so it's not your fault. Come on, let's see what we got on your lover boy," she said with a wink which made Anzu blush.

"Don't say it like that, it makes it sound wrong," she whined as Rebecca popped in the disk and pulled it up on the computer.

"Aww man, it only got like 15 of the file downloaded, let's hope it got some of the basics first."

"You mean we may not have gotten anything?" Instead of replying Rebecca began clicking around searching the scattered bits of file they were able to grab.

"No address," she saw and Anzu's hope seemed to crash and burn once again. "But…we have a phone number."

Ryou groaned as he heard someone busting into the door downstairs in the living room. He had been napping on and off all day contemplating what to do about trying to find out what happened to Anzu. He heard some exciting yelling downstairs again and flipped over to see it was only about 12:20 in the afternoon. 'Guess they did skip school,' he thought as he heard more then one person walking around downstairs. He was able to distinguish three different people. 'Probably Bakura, Malik, and Marik.' Those three seemed like the three musketeers at times, except evil of course.

"Ryou," he heard his brother call from downstairs. "Ryou," he called again and he heard his brothers feet on the stairs so he called out.

"What?"

"Come out here right now, this is really important." Ryou rolled over so he was now facing the door while lying on his bed.

"What is it?" Bakura finally got to his door and opened it looking out of breath as he made his way to his brother, grabbed him by the arm, and began dragging him down the stairs. "Hey let go, I can walk," he said as they neared the stairs and worried for his safety from being dragged down those. "And what's going on," he said while continuing to follow his brother.

"They found her." Ryou felt his heart jump a bit hoping the she they were talking about was the same she he had been thinking about.

"Her who?" They came to stop and stand in front of the TV as Malik was loading something in the DVD player.

"I didn't remember who she was at first. But I got her face stuck in my head and it finally came to me. I got the DVD out waiting for you to come home soon so I could show you. But then you came home, and Bakura wouldn't let us near you, then he brings down our front door demanding we help him find her."

"Her who?"

"Anzu, of course I didn't know her by that name."

"What do you mean," he asked his heart aching and confused at figuring out what was on that tape that could possibly lead him back to her.

"This," he said and with a click the DVD started up. Ryou wasn't sure what he was seeing at first. A name came up on the screen reading 'Sana Kurosaki.' There was a girl with short hair standing shadowed in the moonlight wearing a dark crimson kimono. As the music grew louder she turned half way away form the moon, and he could tell right away…that was Anzu. But as amazed as he was to see her looking like that, he was even more amazed at her voice as she began to sing.

Free version of the song: w w w . angelfire . com / vamp / bakuraanzu / Inu.mp3 – _take out the spaces _

_moshi__ ima kanashimi afureru __nara_

_watashi__ ni motarete naite ii kara_

_I get, I get, I get, get the feeling_

_I get, I get, I get, get the dreaming_

_tada__ kono mama_

_Come my way_

_kono__ yami no hotori_

_Come close to me_

_ima__ akari tomoshi_

_I'll be with you, I'll be with you_

_tada__ soba ni iru kara_

_So come my way_

She swayed in the moonlight as if dancing within the wind, her body at its command, as nearby cherry trees let their blossoms swirl around her before falling to the ground in time with her voice. He was dazzled, he had liked her voice the few times she had said anything to him, but now it was mesmerizing, captivating, it was drawing him in. He felt like he was sinking in quicksand but enjoying it as it slowly devoured him.

_kizuite__ anata wa kono sekai de_

_tada__ hitori dake no taisetsu na hito_

_I get, I get, I get, get the feeling_

_I get, I get, I get, get the dreaming_

_tada__ sono mama_

_Come my way_

_mou__ hitomi tojite_

_Come close to me_

_mou__ nemureba ii_

_I'll be with you, I'll be with you_

_tada__ koko ni iru kara_

_So come my way_

He imagined that voice singing softly into his ear, sitting in her room like before, but with her talking to him like that.

_Calling out_

_Can you hear me? yea_

_So come my way_

_I get, I get, I get, get the feeling_

_I get, I get, I get, get the dreaming_

_tada__ kono mama_

The song slowly wound down as the camera began to slowly zoom up on her face; something was different in this picture as they drew closer.

_Come my way_

_kono__ yami no hotori_

_Come close to me_

_ima__ akari tomoshi_

_I'll be with you, I'll be with you_

_tada__ soba ni iru kara_

_So come my way_

As the camera moved in on the last yard or so she closed her eyes.

_Come my way_

_Come close to me_

_Come my way_

_Come close to me_

With the last few lyrics she slowly opened her eyes revealing blood red iris'. The whole time the video had been playing, the music had been so loud, and they ad been so entranced, no one noticed as the answering machine clicked on and took a message from the phone ringing just behind them.

AN: Good? Bad? Did I kill a really great song by putting it in my fic? I know the music video part sucked but it was hard to describe. Anyway hope you enjoyed.

* * *

Also, here's the English lyrics of the song:

If sorrow is overflowing now,  
It's alright to lean on me and cry.

I get, I get, I get, get the feeling  
I get, I get, I get, get the dreaming

Stay just like this.

Come my way  
Darkness is all around  
Come close to me...  
Now with the light of dusk,  
I'll be with you, I'll be with you...  
So I'm at your side.

I realize that you're just the only one  
Who is important to me in this world.

I get, I get, I get, get the feeling  
I get, I get, I get, get the dreaming

Stay just like that.

Come my way...  
Close your eyes  
Come close to me...  
It's alright if you sleep, because  
I'll be with you, I'll be with you...  
I'm right here.  
So come my way.

Calling out,  
Can you hear me?  
Yeah...  
So come my way.

I get, I get, I get, get the feeling  
I get, I get, I get, get the dreaming

Stay just like this.

Come my way...  
Close your eyes  
Come close to me...  
It's alright if you sleep, because  
I'll be with you, I'll be with you...  
I'm right here.  
So come my way.

Come my way  
Come close to me  
Come my way  
Come close to me


	14. To Hear Your Voice

AN: Ah! I'm late again! Sheesh I meant to finish and post this yesterday, but I had a lot going on. So for all of you waiting please forgive me! Also some of you didn't know why I seemed to make it a song fic n the last chapter. I just wanted to find a way to show she was a singer, but I wanted it to seem a bit cool. So I used one of the two songs that inspired me to start this, the other will come later but I know a lot of people don't like song fics so I'll try and avoid them. Anyway thank you to all you great people who reviewed. I was afraid everyone had stopped reading this and no one would even notice it was updated. I'm glad you all liked the last chapter and hope you like the next as well. So please enjoy! AN: Ok the thing here is I started the last chapter Tuesday and planned on putting it up that night and putting one up Thursday. But I got to the last page and didn't finish and thought it was half assed to write one page and post so I did another chapter even though I don't know if my writing is ok or not right now. Anyway sorry if the hacking scene sounds too low tech but I was reminiscing about Hackers, I love that movie. Anyway the music video I describe is made up by me, but the song is by Boa and is the seventh ending off inu yasha. You wanna download it check out my link below by the song, it's on my own website and I'm being nice by doing this so please don't rag on me because it's low resolution. And I think that's it for notes so I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I no own Yugioh, though I wish I owned two certain white haired bishies! I'll just have to settle for plushies for now.

Japanese:

Baka – Stupid/Idiot

Glomp – Jumping at and hugging someone (not really Japanese but some people may not know it.)

Koi - Love

Kuso – Shit/Damn

Nani - What

Gomen - Sorry

Hentai - Pervert

Honto ni – Really?

* * *

"Leave Sanity at The Door"

Chapter 14: "To Hear Your Voice"

Ryou sat on the couch literally stunned at what he just saw. His girlfriend was a diva!? He shook his head, 'No way how could I not know something as huge as this!?' Malik pushed stop bringing silence back to the room even as the TV went on to another music video with some stranger in it.

"This is actually a demo I picked up when I bought a certain amount of CDs. But this was a while back, like a little over half a year ago I got it with some music videos from some other up coming artists on it as well. She was supposed to have her first huge concert about a month after this was released. But about two weeks before the concert she disappeared. And it was only two weeks later her manager reported that she had been injured and would be in the hospital for an indefinite amount of time."

"But the name? That's not Anzu," Ryou protested weakly.

"Of course not, they usually make up a stage name if they're still in high school or god even middle school. Guess she wanted some privacy," Malik said thinking it over.

"Wouldn't have lasted long if she made it big but would have at least held off stalkers," Marik said joking and wanted to shrivel up and blow away at the three death glares being thrown at him. "I think I'll go get something to drink," he said springing up from the couch and going into the kitchen.

"But what do I do now? Why did she break her promise? I mean how can I even find her," Ryou moaned burying his face in a couch pillow.

"Sheesh don't mope around over something as stupid as a girl," Bakura said trying to snap him out of it.

"She's not just a girl," Ryou roared shocking Bakura enough to make him fall off the couch. He quickly righted himself and was about to yell back when Marik came back in the room and interrupted.

"Hey Bakura, you got a message."

"Is the food talking to you again," Malik asked raising an eyebrow in suspicion. Marik had been known to overlook expiration dates and there had been a few times when the next time he was seen he'd be holding a conversation with a jar of Mayonnaise. But as this was not the case he just gave them death glares.

"I'm talking about your answering machine asshole." Bakura just grumbled shaking it off but Marik found the little red blinking button annoying as hell so he pressed the play button. The tape made a whirring sound as it reword and a cling as it played back the message. It was silent on the line for a moment and Marik thought maybe the person hung up when a timid voice came over the line.

"R-ryou? I-is this you? Ummm."

"What the hell." Ryou jumped out of his seat and over to the machine turning it up catching everyone's attention as it played.

"I-I hope this is your number, I had to go through a lot just to get this, so I hope its right. Listen I'm sorry I didn't visit but…but I didn't break my promise! Listen I know you don't understand but please believe me, I want to explain it to you. But I can't give you my number, my parents…Just I-I need to meet you. Please if you can, tonight at 8 PM, meet me in the Domino Park near the East fountain. I don't know where you live so I hope you get this in time…it doesn't matter because…I'll be waiting. I-I I lo-BEEP." Ryou's pupil's dilated as the machine cut off her last line. A line that could very well have been what he'd wanted to hear ever since they were pulled apart.

"Noo!" He picked up the machine and looked like he was about to thrash it, but Bakura didn't really have the cash to replace it so he wrestled it from his brother's grip and pulled it close to him guarding it. "Damnit what the hell is going on? She didn't visit but she didn't break her promise, what is that supposed to mean?!" As angry as he was he wasn't completely sure the erratic beating of his heart was all from his anger.

"Hey calm down, I mean she tracked you down right? More then you could do, it actually saves you the trouble, ne," Malik pipped up. Ryou seemed to almost instantly calm down.

"Yeah, you're right," he said thinking it over. "But Domino…wait that's where I used to go once a month for my gaming stuff!"

"Once a month," Marik questioned.

"He only got enough money for bus fare and what he wanted to buy once a month," Bakura explained. "It's about a forty-five minute train ride to Domino."

"You rode forty-five minutes to a game store," Malik all but yelled.

"You ride an hour every other month to go to that rave store in Hokkaido," Marik spoke up making Malik blush and quiet down.

"Demo, I have no money what so ever," Ryou said as reality crashed down on him, making him look like a deflated balloon. The poor guy looked like he was about to cry before he got a determined look on his face. "It doesn't matter! I have," he quickly paused to check the clock. "Seven hours to get there, I can hitch hike and walk some of the way," he said nodding his head. "That means I REALLY need to get going," he said and went to go to his room, but was cloths lined by Malik and picked back up on his feet. Malik still holding him by the back of his shirt so he couldn't move. "What's the big deal!? I have to get going now or I'm not gong to get there in time!"

"Baka. You're birthday happened while you were still in the hospital but that doesn't mean we forgot you. We were planning on taking you shopping, but a ride out to Domino should be good enough right," he said letting go of his shirt and folding his arms over his chest. When Ryou didn't respond right away Malik got turned to face him and nearly fell over as he was glomped full force by a very happy Ryou who seemed to want to share his happiness in a painful death grip kind of way. It took both Marik and Malik to pry him off but he still had that buzzed look of happiness on his face.

"I should probably go take a shower and start getting ready."

"But we still have," Malik started but Ryou was already in the bathroom. "Seven hours." Silence hung in the room as they heard him turning on the shower.

"Do you think that's normal? And what does she mean she didn't break her promise?" Bakura scoffed. "I was the one sitting here watching my brother's heart being ripped apart," he spat. "How can just one phone call change all that," he hissed, his anger apparent.

"Why can't you just be happy for him," Marik said plopping down on the couch and pulling Malik into his lap holding him close. "Before all of this he wasn't even really all that happy. Now just a phone call from this girl and he's on cloud nine."

"Yeah well what happens to him when that cloud disappears," he all but growled out.

"Then you'll be there for him. He's not made of glass; he won't break if you're too rough with him. And he has you; you'll be there for him if something goes wrong."

"Can you really say that after what happened just a few months ago!?"

"Do you trust him," Marik asked calmly running his hands through Malik's hair.

"What the-! Of course I trust him!"

"Then trust that he has changed from that time and that he is better. Treat him like he's normal, that's what he wants isn't it?" Marik's words hit him hard but he didn't show a victorious smirk or anything, he just continued playing with his Koi's hair. Bakura just grumbled and stomped away.

"You know that was pretty harsh," Malik whispered, keeping his eyes fixed at the window across from him as the winds picked up.

"You know Bakura, sometimes you have to be a bit harsh to get through that thick skull of his."

"He is right though, you know. If she does hurt him the way it is now, it could devastate him. I know you say to trust him, but how can Bakura do that when he was betrayed so badly?"

"Betrayed you say?"

"Bakura believed his brother wouldn't lie to him ever, but the whole time he was lying to him."

"Ah I know what you mean Koi. Demo Ryou's atoned for that in the hospital. He has changed and I truly believe he loves his brother enough to not do that again."

"I know."

"Which leaves us where we are now."

"Which is?"

"Ryou is waiting to see if Bakura really trusts him." When Malik still looked a bit confused he continued. "If Bakura backs off and treats him normally, it's like saying he accepts what happened and he forgives him and trusts him. Ryou knows that he's done a lot that needs to be forgiven and how badly he's betrayed Bakura's trust. But it can't get better or move forward until Bakura gives him at least a bit of trust on which to build."

"Marik, how is it you seem so clueless about the world but when it's needed you know everything?"

"I'm just a very good actor," he said smirking and leaning his head on Malik's shoulder.

"Well maybe you should leave you're acting skills outside of school," Malik began with a smirk. "You're algebra grade would be very appreciative." Malik couldn't help the smirk on his face as Marik's smile dropped right off his face.

"That is…"

"It's ok. I still love you." Marik just held him closer.

Anzu felt like her heart was going to beat right out of her chest. It had taken all the courage she had to call him and she almost hung up as the answering machine picked up. But she had continued none the less. She seemed to get more desperate as the message went on and she actually tried saying she loved him for the first time over the answering machine. 'Baka! Something like that needs to be said from the heart face to face! Not used to try and get someone to come see you!' She ran her fingers through her hair ruffling it up from annoyance with herself.

She now had about six hours to sit around and worry until she went to the park. In all truthfulness she wasn't sure exactly where he lived. She had his area code, but even then trying to find a place based on area code was a lot harder then the other way around. And as Rebecca had already left she didn't think calling her back for something like that would give the girl a very good impression on her. So instead she had called early hoping to get a hold of him as soon as she could and give him time to try and get there. 'I just hope he gets my message and can come.'

'Demo, now what do I do? I was planning on being there an hour early, but that means I still have about six hours left with nothing to do.' She plopped down on the bed behind her sprawling out and getting slightly comfortable glancing out her window at the blue sky above. She couldn't believe her parents. Well once again, mostly her mother. When she had mentioned how she was trying to get in contact with a friend from the hospital still she had went off on her and said she wasn't allowed to try and contact _anybody_ even her old doctors at the hospital. It didn't matter to her anyway; if Ryou _had_ been there she would have found a way to see him, like she was trying to do now. She sighed closing her eyes for a second.

Even though she had just gotten home within the last week her mother was already pushing her to see her manager again and had already called Serenity and Ootogi trying to get them to come over with their instruments. She couldn't really blame her mother; it was kind of her fault. She had always wanted to be up on the stage, singing her heart out to the world and because of that they had had to make a lot of sacrifices over the years for her. Then last year she had gotten a break and had been able to make a music video. The music was a bit eerie and they tried to play off that by making her almost vampiric with red contacts and a dark kimono. But it had taken forever to get that last shot as the contacts bothered her eyes so much.

But it was all up hill from there. Soon after a few big producers took notice of her and she was finally signed with a contract. They then put her on a demo disk with up coming artists and everything! She had been able to open for a few of the bigger bands, and was going up that night to check out the place. The concert wasn't until the next night, so they'd be practicing during the day. But she'd never been to someplace so big, she wanted to go and check it out. It was when she was looking around the building he had come out and talked to her. She felt a bit scared, she just tried to reassure herself it was because he was a big star, and he was the man she'd be opening for tomorrow. But it became much worse then that.

'Fuck him.' It had startled her the first time she'd thought that. She wasn't someone that cussed very much if at all. But whenever she thought of him she thought just that. 'He can't hurt me again and he can't take anything away from me anymore. It can only get better…with Ryou.' With that she let her eyes flutter closed.

She awoke slowly, groggy as she sat up and rubbed her eyes, everything seemed so dark. 'What happened, what time is it?' She knew winter was getting closer, but it was already dusk. She looked over at her clock and blinked a few times before the neon red digital numbers were comprehendible. And as she did so the clock slowly dropped from her hand. '7: 43?!'

"Kuso!" She quickly covered her mouth hoping her parents didn't hear but thankfully she didn't hear anything from downstairs. 'It'll take me at least ten minutes to get there running. Shit!' She was still in her bed cloths from this morning as she was being lazy but now she hastily looked around for the nearest article of clothing to put on. Her eyes fell on her school uniform, 'That thing is so disgusting, but I don't have time!' She quickly changed and did a quick hair and tooth brush and once again looked over to see the red numbers slowly change to 7:46. 'Shit.' She quickly grabbed her lucky coin and opened the window to her bedroom looking down at the ground below. 'Come on Anzu you've done this before!' She grabbed onto the tree branch just about a foot away from her window and winced as the flimsy branch bent slightly before leaning forward and grabbing it farther up pulling herself from her bedroom and closer to the trunk of the tree. She was thankful that it didn't break on the part farther out and as she got closer she quickly finished scrambling down the large oak next to her house thankful she had convinced her parents not to cut it down about this time last year.

But she quickly brushed her thoughts aside and took off in a sprint down the road. 'Ryou please wait, I'm coming!'

He sat near the fountain looking at his watch once again as it said 7:58. 'Calm down Ryou, she'll be here. She was the one who called you. She did say something about not being able to call because of her parents; maybe she's having trouble getting out of the house? And she said she'd be waiting.' He tried to build himself up and hold the fear of her standing him up at bay. He'd wanted to be there early but Malik and Marik as well as his brother convinced him that there was no point to it and to just leave at seven. But he was stubborn enough to get them to leave at six instead and told them to just go wander around town. In all truthfulness he didn't know exactly what they'd do after they met up. There'd definitely be a lot of talking, he wanted to know what she meant by she didn't break her promise. But then what?

He sighed as he looked down at his watch again to see it read 8:01 and felt his heart sink to his stomach. 'S-she's not here. Now what? Do I wait?' He wasn't sure if waiting around would do any good. She had at least seven hours to get away much like himself. But with her being late he wasn't sure if that meant she stood him up or not. 'A-anzu…where…where are you?" He felt like his heart was being ripped in two and wanted to break down, his eyes watering as he sat back down feeling dejected…until.

"RYOU!" His head shot up and his heart leapt into his throat as he recognized that voice. He couldn't help the smile that seemed to just sneak onto his face as Anzu's form was jogging towards him, her Domino High uniform a bit disheveled as she continued running as if her life depended on it. And as she got closer he noticed something on her face, tear trails, she was crying. As she got right up next to him she launched herself at him hugging him as close as possible as if trying to prove he was real.

"R-ryou," she sniffled before coughing. "Gomen! Gomen! I meant to be here," she began but was cut short by another coughing fit. He wrapped his arms around her instantly holding her to him as she cough trying to catch her breath.

"Sit down," his soft voice giving off a wave of comfort that she hadn't felt in so long. She sat on the edge of the fountain with him next to her, both of them smiling though Anzu was still sniffling a bit and trying to catch her breath. As she finally slowed her breathing she looked up and him and blushed. They hadn't been together like this in…so long and she felt like she was drowning in those eyes of his. She slowly leaned up, her eyes only half open as he too blushed and began to lean forward. But just as their lips were about to touch he pulled back, though with much reluctance. She looked a bit hurt but more confused then anything.

"I'm sorry, but I need to know what is going on. I mean you didn't visit me but you said you didn't break your promise. I want to know what's going on and where we stand." She felt a bit ashamed at trying to pull something like that, as far as he knew she had snubbed him, even though that wasn't the case at all.

"I understand. But I didn't break my promise! Ryou when you got out, he gave you a three day limit too didn't he?" Ryou's eyes doubled in size as she asked about something she couldn't possible known about unless 'too?'. She took his reaction as an affirmative. "I was given a three day limit before I was able to see you again. It killed me to know I was so close but so far, but I held on saying you'd be waiting for me. But when I went in…they said you were discharged." Now Ryou's head was really spinning.

"B-but that's what they said to me when I went to see you! How can this be?"

"I didn't understand it either, but a friend of mine helped shed some light on it. Tell me, what day were you released?"

"M-me? The 20th."

"Ahh, so you were wrong. You got out before me."

"What but-"

"I was released the 21st." The information took a second to settle before everything clicked into place.

"We were tricked?!" Oh now he was pissed! Pissed beyond limitation.

"It seems that way," she said sadly.

"B-but why? Who would do something like that? I mean I know Pegasus didn't want us to see each other but why would he do something like that?"

"I'm not sure," she answered softly which got his attention as he looked over at her and saw her face averted to the ground.

"Anzu?" He took her chin in his hand and made her look at him and saw tears brimming in her eyes as she looked up at him hopefully.

"Ryou, you don't hate me?" It was said so softly he wasn't sure he heard it. He kind of felt like an ass now pushing her away earlier and her eyes almost made him want to cry.

"Never," he said pulling her into a tight hug. "Anzu I love you," he said a bright blush staining his cheeks.

"Ryou," she began her voice cracking. "I love you too," she finished and felt him stiffen and slowly pull her away to look at her face. "I-I wanted to tell you when you first told me. But you took me by surprise, I couldn't think strait. I wanted to tell you that for so long." One of his hands once again went to her face cupping the side of it as he slowly closed in on her lips. The second their lips touched both of them felt it, like a part of their souls had returned. They felt, whole.

They slowly pulled away both blushing like mad but feeling better then they had in a long time. Ryou just held her in his arms both of them enjoying the peace. But as it was something was bothering Ryou and he was debating on whether to ask her about it or not. She could tell something was wrong and she wondered if he regretted something. Or that he had bad news like he couldn't see her anymore. She couldn't take the not knowing so she spoke up first.

"Ryou, what's wrong?" He seemed a bit taken aback but realized he couldn't hide things from her, she was able to read him even way back when they first met.

"Why didn't you tell me, you were a singer?" She was startled to say the least and felt like reality had come barging in on her happy moment. He noticed this right away and tried to calm her down. "I mean it's not like I mind or anything. It doesn't change a thing; I just kind of wanted to know," he explained nervously.

"It's related to him," she said trying to calm down. Now Ryou once again felt like an ass. 'Sheesh I keep on asking all these things about her that just keep hurting her. I should just keep my mouth shut!'

"I-I'm sorry I didn't know. I'm so stupid."

"No, its ok," she said leaning further into his embrace. "Actually I wanted to tell you something about it." He waited letting her continue. "I was supposed to start up my big career about two weeks after 'it' happened but of course that was put on hold. How can you have a band with no singer? But now that I'm back it's like my mom wants to make up for lost time. But-"

"But what," he pressed on seeing she needed to get it out in the open.

"But I don't know if I can go back to that life. So much has changed and I don't know if I can go back to that."

"You like it don't you?"

"Of course I like it! But I was going to give up so much of school and everything else for it. But I don't want to loose you," she said gripping him tighter.

"Why would you loose me?"

"Because I'm going to be in the spotlight and you see the tabloids. They like to drag up hurtful things. If you were with me-. I just don't want to see you hurt."

"Anzu the only way you could really hurt me, was if you left me. So please don't do that. I know you're looking out for me, but I would do anything to be with you."

"Ryou." She let the silence hang between them, not awkward but more one of reassurance as they sat there together. "Well there is one other thing," she said not really wanting to go on but knew they'd have to deal with it some time.

"Hmm?"

"Ummm my parents kind of told me I wasn't allowed to see anyone I knew from the hospital ever again."

"WHAT?!"

"Please calm down," she begged. "But they never really met you, so I thought maybe we could make something up you know like we just happened to meet. I don't think they'd mind that."

"I suppose," he said but looked a bit down.

"But the thing is, right now my parents think I'm in my bedroom."

"Huh?"

"My mom's been pushing me to get back to rehearsing, so I'm not really allowed out until I go back to school."

"But that means-"

"We can only see each other on the weekends."

"What?!" All these new restrictions and changes were really making his mind reel.

"It's ok though, I mean today is still Thursday right? I can agree to rehearse tomorrow meaning I can start back to school on Monday. But this weekend my restrictions will be up and you can come visit on Saturday and Sunday if you want. Then I can finally tell my parents about you."

"Well that sounds really good Anzu, but there's a bit of a problem."

"Nani?"

"I live forty five minutes away," he groaned. Anzu blanched but got a determined look on her face.

"Don't worry leave it up to me," she said. "I have a friend who can drive and with a bit of persuasion I think I can get him to give you a ride."

"Back and forth two days in a row?"

"That is a bit troublesome," she said thinking it over. "Unless you wouldn't mind staying the night with a friend of mine?"

"A friend?" He sounded disappointed.

"Yes a friend you hentai," she huffed. "His name is Yugi he lives with his mom and grandpa above their game shop."

"Wait you mean the Kame Game Shop?"

"Huh? You know it?"

"Yeah I used to go there once a month, they had some really hard to find Role Playing booklets and such."

"Honto ni? I knew Yugi and his grandfather picked up some hard to find stuff but something enough to make you go someplace almost an hour away?"

"Well yeah, then again today I was thinking of trying to hitchhike here, or walk a good amount of the way."

"N-nai?!"

"Well I didn't have any money to get here. But Malik and Marik, the two guys who gave us a ride before remember, they said since I was still in the hospital over my birthday they'd consider this my present."

"Wow, that's really nice of them. But you'd really hitchhike here to meet me," she said blushing as her heart began to speed up. He nodded affirmative and she couldn't help how her heart now seemed to be racing, but then something popped into her mind. "Ah your birthday! That's right," she said hitting her forehead. "I forgot your present at home!"

"Present? Wait, how did you even know about my birthday?"

"How did you know about mine?"

"Mai," they both answered.

"I fell asleep early and woke up about 15 minutes before eight so I just threw on some cloths and left. I'm sorry I totally forgot!"

"It's ok! I mean I wasn't even expecting a present. This here is enough," he said truthfully. They both looked up as the clock in the park struck ten and Anzu groaned.

"Man, I need to get home soon."

"Really," he sounded so disappointed.

"Yeah, but don't worry I can call you tomorrow! Ah that reminds me, I need your address so Ootogi can pick you up on Saturday."

"Oh that's right," he said digging into his pickets and pulling out an old gum wrapper and a pen and scribbled it down. They both then got up and headed for the entrance of the park hand in hand trying to enjoy the moment for as long as it would last. But unfortunately it wasn't too long before they both heard the engines of the two bikes waiting for him at the entrance. They stood there facing each other for what seemed like forever, at least to the people on the bike, before they leaned closer into a passion filled kiss in which they had their arms wrapped around each other. Both trying to keep the very essence of the other with them as long as they could until they could see each other again. But eventually they had to pull apart leaving a light blush on their cheeks and both of them slightly panting.

"Goodnight, koi," he said testing the waters seeing how she would react. She blushed and looked startled but still responded.

"Good night, koi," she said as they slowly pulled apart and he got on the back of a bike putting a helmet on and waving as the two sped off leaving her waving in the entrance of the park.

AN: WOW! That was a hell of a lot longer then I planned it to be. Sorry not as much fluff as you'd probably like but I promise there will be much more in the next chapter! Anyway not much to say except I hope you liked it!


	15. Weekend Warriors

AN: I know I said I'd try to update every three days but like I said I couldn't promise but hopefully my one shots helped make up for it. That and I've been translating more of the Bakura/Anzu doujin I have so hopefully either Vaz-sama or scarlet-moonlight will have it posted on their sites soon. Also two things in this chapter, they talk about how she's on a first name basis with Ryou, most people in Japan refer to others by their last names unless they're REALLY close so this is pretty big to her friends. Also they talk about Monster World which was in season one where they met Bakura and is like D&D with figurines. Anyway hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I no own Yugioh, though I wish I owned two certain white haired bishies! I'll just have to settle for plushies for now.

Japanese:

Glomp – Jumping at and hugging someone (not really Japanese but some people may not know it.)

Moshi Moshi – Hello over the phone

Ano - Umm

Nani – What

Dmo - But

Gomen – Sorry

Hai - Yes

Hentai – Pervert

"Leave Sanity at The Door"

Chapter 15: "Weekend Warriors"

Once again Anzu was stuck in a position where she wasn't sure if it was worth it or not. When she had gotten home, her parents hadn't noticed she was gone, she had gone downstairs and announced, to her mother's joy, she would like to have the other members of the band come over and practice tomorrow and set up a meeting with her manager on Monday. Though she knew the look her father gave her said he definitely didn't approve he didn't say anything further on the matter. To make matters worse her mother suggested she go back to school tomorrow since one of her fellow band mates was still in school as well and she couldn't practice until then. Anzu was planning on dealing with school next week and enjoying the last bit of freedom she had this week, but her mother had other plans.

So this is why after such a glorious night of being in the arms of her true love the next day sucked completely. She had forgotten how early she had to get up to actually get to school even though it didn't start until 8:30. She yawned trying to keep her eyes open as she trudged the long road wondering what lay ahead for her. As she had been gone so long if there was some big project or test going on she would be excused for the day but expected to be caught up by Monday. Even though that seemed impossible as she was going to be spending the whole weekend in bliss aka with Ryou, she had to get caught up at least a bit to function in school. Her mom was thinking of a weekend long tutor session, but she had other plans.

She looked up a bit startled as she heard her name being called and looked up to see her friends waiting at the front gate for her, just like old times. She felt herself smile and ran forward to them greeting them all.

"Hey Anzu I didn't think you'd be back for punishment so soon," said Jou apparently referring to the mounds of make up work she'd have awaiting her. She just looked like someone had deflated her and tried to keep herself standing. "Hey I'm sorry, come on don't worry about it. I mean they've given you two weeks to make most of the paper work up, and a moth overall for projects and stuff. I'm sure it'll be fine. And we can help you study this weekend," he said grabbing a hold of Yugi and Honda apparently volunteering them.

"Well thanks but-"

"Sorry guys she has something else she's doing this weekend," said Shizuka cutting in making her friend flush.

"Huh? What are you talking about? You didn't set her up on a blind date again did you," her brother asked as his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Of course not, she'll be too busy with her boyfriend all weekend," she said smugly.

"Boyfriend," all but Yugi yelled as he had been in on the scheme the day before and pretty much was in the ballpark with what was happening.

"When did you get a boyfriend?"

"Seriously, we're friends and you didn't tell us," Honda butted in.

"Well Ryou is-"

"Ryou," they both exclaimed again.

"You're already on a first name basis with him," Jou all but yelled.

"Well she has known him for months," said Shizuka slyly. "She and him met in the hospital and made a lovers pact to meet on the outside," she said still grinning.

"Shizuka you're exaggerating it," Anzu said embarrassed.

"You're going out with a nut job," Honda yelled this time. But immediately regretted it as he saw the spark in her eyes as it began to twitch and she grabbed her school bag just a bit harder then needed.

"How dare you," she started her voice a low growl, "call my boyfriend a nut job," she was pretty much yelling at this time as she swung her bag around and popped Honda right in the jaw sending him flying. The others looked on; their eyes bugging out of their heads as she turned to the rest of them to see if they had any comments to add but all slunk away. She turned to storm into the school leaving her friends to walk a ways behind her.

"You know, it's good having the old Anzu back," Jou said with a smile. And even Honda had to nod in agreement as he nursed his sore jaw.

Anzu groaned as she trudged home with not just her one back pack but an extra duffle bag she borrowed in gym class to carry all her homework in. She knew she'd been gone for a while, but didn't summer break count for anything?! As it was she had about two hours before her friends would come over to rehearse as Ootogi had a hair appointment. 'That boy and his hair!' But she had bigger things to worry about. She had six different subjects, thankfully gym was one and she only needed to do ten extra credit assignments consisting of a half a page report on health and physical activity issues. Even though it seemed too easy she wanted to get that out of the way first. Then came her Japanese class in which she had to write five different papers including rough, and final and do a book report. Then in math she had to catch up seven chapters and make up the quizzes and exams. She was thankful her mythology teacher was a pretty big flake though and she only had to make up two tests, copy someone's notes, and make up her own myth which only had to be three to four pages long. She was pretty sure she'd get that out of the way quickly too. Then came her history class and science classes which were the hardest. She had to get notes from people, do up various worksheets and projects, as well as three major tests, a midterm in each, and a major paper/project in each. She almost cried at her predicament but once again felt comforted by her friends.

Once they heard of her situation they offered to help her after school on the week days before her practices which she was going to try and convince her mom to do at night so she could study. 'Come on Anzu! You're not weak! You can be strong and you can do this,' she thought determined as she made her way home. 'You're going to do this, and then spend the whole weekend with Ryou,' she said her mood going from serious to happy go lucky. 'Weekend here I come!'

She was pretty lucky, at least she thought, as she was just setting aside her papers awaiting her crew's arrival. She was right; she had been able to finish up her gym reports quite easily and already put them aside. But she also had finished a rough draft for her myth paper and was sure it only needed minor revisions. 'See you're already making progress, just one subject at a time Anzu!' She was interrupted by a knock on the door and saw Shizuka stick her head around the door.

"Yo! Anzu we're here," she said fully opening the door now to reveal her and their other band mate Ootogi. "How goes the slave work," she said looking to the pile of papers to Anzu's right.

"Well Rome wasn't built in a day," she said sweat-dropping.

"It could be if it was made up of all the homework you still had to do," she said laughing as her friend glared.

"It's still good to have you back," Ootogi cut in putting a halt to the teasing between friends. "Come on we should get to work as well, you're meeting up with Siegfried on Monday right? Even if you just got out he's going to want you practicing back the way you were again. Eve though the concerts were dropped they company still wants to put out a CD and after that Siegfried wants us to get at least three new teaser songs before trying to make a whole new CD. He noticed Anzu hyperventilating into a paper bag and came over resting a hand on her shoulder. "Well all in good time I mean. He wants the CD done in a month which is a bit hard, but if we really push hard we can do it. And then he's giving us another month after that to come up with the new songs and you're not doing it alone."

"Yeah you got me," Shizuka said jokingly getting a glare from Ootogi. But before it got too far along Anzu remembered something.

"Oh yeah is my mom gone?"

"Yeah she was heading to the corner store for a couple things when we got here," Shizuka said wondering what he friend was getting at. Before she knew it Anzu was on her knees in a begging position in front of Ootogi.

"You want something from me don't you," he asked sweat-dropping.

"Yes but it's something EXTREMELY important to me."

"How important?"

"Willing to run away and elope important."

"Your going off to elope?!"

"No but it's that kind of important," she said trying to get him to quiet his voice in case her mom came home.

"Oh this is about your boyfriend isn't it," Shizuka said getting all catty again. Anzu just blushed giving them their answer. Ootogi sighed, a sign of submittance, he'd already been filled in by Shizuka on Anzu's boyfriend. He was pretty shocked, she'd been asked out by lots of guys but turned them all down, and this would be her first real boyfriend.

"Ok what is it," he groaned knowing he was throwing his soul to the devil.

"He lives about 45 minutes away and he doesn't have a ride here this weekend."

"So I'm a chauffer?"

"Kind of," she said still in a pleading position.

"But it's gonna be a strain on my gas this weekend to drive him back and forth both days. Why don't you ask your mom?"

"Her mommy doesn't know about him yet," Shizuka answered teasingly. "Anzu wants to introduce them this weekend."

"And anyway you won't be driving back and forth! At least not both days! Yugi agreed to let him stay over his house this weekend. So you only have to pick him up and drop him off once. PLEASE," she asked giving him the best puppy dog eyes she had ever mustered. He groaned but accepted getting him a huge glomp from the girl who was just on the ground a second ago before she took off with the phone. "Anyway I'll tell him you'll pick him up at ten." She heard him moan something about 'I don't even get up before 10,' but she ignored it and continued. "Anyway I'll meet you downstairs in a bit. I gotta call him," she said going into the bathroom and shutting and locking the door in case her mother came home soon and dialed Ryou's number in. It rang once…twice…

"Moshi moshi," came a deep voice from the other side of the line making Anzu jump and even more nervous then before.

"A-ano, is Ryou there," she asked timidly. She heard a grumbled reply before someone calling for Ryou. The line was dead another minute before she heard someone pick up the phone.

"Hello, Ryou here," he said it with a bit of excitement in his voice.

"Ah, Ryou! Hello!"

"Hello Anzu," he said in a happy almost sing song voice.

"I have great news! My friend Ootogi said he'd give you a ride here this weekend. He'll be at your house by 10 AM on Saturday. That and Yugi agreed to let you stay the night at his house on Saturday. Apparently he and his grandfather consider you a really good customer or something; they knew you as soon as I described you." Ryou was sweat dropping. "So everything is all set right?"

"Well almost," he said it in a way that made Anzu's stomach twist, she knew she wasn't going to like what he was about to say. "Well I just got home after being away for months from my brother and now I want to run off this weekend in some place I don't know that well with someone he doesn't know very well and everything and well…my brother won't let me come unless he does too." Anzu nearly dropped the phone and Ryou could practically feel her emotions building and sure enough 3…2…1…

"NANI!? D-demo why?"

"In all truthfulness he's never really met you before. I mean Marik and Malik have probably spent more time with you then my brother. Well you know about my dad from what I told you, Bakura's kind of like my only family and it's kind of like how you want me to meet your parents." He was afraid how she seemed to quiet down so quickly. "Anzu?"

"Ok, I understand. Sorry if I seemed selfish. I'll make sure to tell Yugi and Ootogi there will be one more person they have to pick up."

"You don't mind," he asked tentively.

"Of course not! And after what you said…I think I'd like to get to know him a bit." Ryou wasn't so sure about that but wasn't about to burst her happy little bubble. "Ah, I think I just heard my mom come in, I need to get to practice."

"Have fun, so I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Hai, tomorrow. Love you," she said quietly feeling the burning blush already spread across her cheeks.

"Love you too," he said his face also turning a unique shade of red before placing the phone back on its cradle. He was so content he didn't even notice the figure lurking in the shadows, and when he did it was too late! He was pounced and pushed back onto the couch as someone sat on his stomach preventing his escape.

"So you told her I'm coming along," his brother asked a bit too happily for his liking.

"Please no mischief I really don't wanna get kicked out of the one store that still sells second edition monster world guides."

"You are such a geek," he said staring him down but rolled off his brother. "Chill out, it's not like I'm bringing Malik and Marik."

"How did you get rid of them, I thought they really wanted to come when they heard about it." He saw the smug look on his brother's face and narrowed his eyes, "What did you do?"

"Nothing I'm harmless," he said trying to play innocent which never really worked for him.

"Bakura," he said now giving a full blown glare.

"Fine, fine. I got Marik drunk enough to play poker."

"But Marik sucks at poker."

"That's why I got him drunk first. Anyway I got him in a corner and actually got him to bet Malik."

"HE WHAT?! Malik would kill him if he ever found out!"

"Exactly, and just as I knew he lost. So as it is I told him I'd give him a fair chance and sent him out on a scavenger hunt."

"S-scavenger hunt," he said disbelief written all over his face.

"Hai hai," he gloated. "And as long as he wins I give Malik back to him and never have to tell Malik about him being owned by me for a short bit of time."

"But your strait," his brother pointed out.

"Doesn't matter it'd be nice having a servant, and when it comes to Marik he's paranoid anyone could take Malik from him like that. So I gave them a task of impossible items that will take all weekend for them to find."

"Aren't you nice?"

"You mean you'd let them come with us to Domino," he asked in an excited way.

"No way!"

"Then there you have it. Anyway you should pack, that Ootogi guy should be here at 10 right?"

"Hey how did you know about that," asked Ryou turning on his brother. Bakura once again tried to play innocent but it didn't work. "You were listening in," Ryou yelled loud enough for their neighbors to yell at them to keep it down. Bakura just smirked and took off down the hall for his room with Ryou hot on his heels. It had been too long since they had just hung out like this; he had taken it for granted before, but not anymore.

Anzu sat down grabbing the bottled water off the stool as she did so guzzling it down. She looked up at her clock as it read about ten to nine. She had been practicing for almost four hours strait. If this had been a year ago maybe ten hours would be something but she was just getting back into the swing of things.

"At least you're voice didn't completely die while you were gone," Ootogi joked.

"At least I have an excuse," she said mockingly. "What's your excuse, guitar out of tune?" She dodged the water bottle going by her head that she knew was coming.

"You're both so mean," Shizuka said as twirled her drum sticks

"You know I only tease because I love," said Ootogi and tried to pull Anzu into a hug but she side stepped him.

"I tease because you deserve it," she said watching him closely as he picked himself up.

"Anzu how can you be so cruel," he said tears streaming down his face.

"Because I know you should have been an actor not a musician," she said and his tears instantly dried up.

"Of course you have such an eye for talent," he said picking himself up off the floor. "It's so good to have you back," he said sincerely.

"Seriously it's been no fun for him with no one to tease but me," said Shizuka.

"Yeah well don't worry I'm back for good. Anyway you guys should get going, it's getting pretty late and _someone_ has to get up early," she said eyeing Ootogi. His happy mood immediately went out the window and the gloom returned.

"Yeah yeah I got it. But Anzu," he started looking serious. "How are you going to even spend time with him tomorrow?"

"Huh what do you mean?"

"You're mom didn't tell you," Shizuka said stepping into the conversation. "While you were on the phone your mom came downstairs and said we should practice all day tomorrow as well. You didn't know?" The way Anzu's smile just seemed to fall off her face told them no. "What are you going to do?" Anzu was silent as it seemed she was deep in thought. "Anzu?"

"Escape!" Her friends nearly fell over from her sudden shout.

"E-escape? What do you mean? You're not in a prison Anzu," Shizuka said trying to understand her friend.

"Well when Ootogi gets here I'll just get out of the house without mom seeing and take off with Ryou and his brother and you two can pretend like you don't know anything."

"But your mom will call the cops!"

"I'll leave a note! I mean I haven't even been out of the house except for Thursday when I snuck out the two times. As far as my mom knows I haven't left the house in almost a week, she'll just think I got stir crazy or something!"

"Anzu, I'm not sure," Shizuka started.

"Come on, please just go along with me on this," she begged her friend who looked like she was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Shizuka sighed hoping that she would be all right. She had wanted to meet this Ryou guy with Anzu, but she'd have to wait.

"Thank you," she said glomping her friend and almost knocking over the drum set.

"Woohoo! Girl on girl!" Two drum sticks then hit him across the face making him wince. "Fine if you want some privacy!"

"Ootogi," they both yelled. Even as Anzu and Shizuka chased down their perverted friend, even as they wrestled, all three of them were laughing and enjoying the moment, they learned in the past months to take advantage of the peace and happiness. They all knew it could easily come to a grinding halt at any time.

Anzu sat up looking at the clock again as it read 10:30; she yawned rubbing the sleep from her eyes as she sipped on her coffee. She had such a hard time getting to sleep last night, she felt restless and considered calling Ootogi up and having him get Ryou early, but she also didn't want Ootogi, or worse Ryou, mad at her for being selfish and just tried to be quiet as she tossed and turned. It was worse now though as the morning made way for noon and she was relying on caffeinated substances to keep her going as the time for arrival came close.

She had talked to her mother last night about rehearsal today and made sure to sound a bit disappointed so hopefully her little note would go over better and she would really just seem like she wanted to go out. Practice was supposed to be at 11, and Ootogi would show up just before then and that was when she'd make her escape. He was supposed to relay the info to Ryou for her on their trip to Domino. She hoped that they were at least kind of getting along. She felt a bad vibe go through her and she looked out her window, 'I hope they get here soon.'

As it was Ootogi was staring at the digital clock in his car as it read in neon green color: 11:15 AM. And where was Ootogi? On the Domino freeway, backed up about three miles from the exit he needed. As it was he was getting off at the next exit, because about a half hour before he had been only five miles from that exit and was stupid enough to pass up the exit before this one. It had been a relatively smooth and easy drive, he had gotten to talk to Ryou a bit and was only mildly annoyed with Bakura. As it was Bakura was _not_ a morning person and was taking it out on them, but now stuck in a traffic jam with blaring horns wasn't helping his mood at all and he was seriously thinking of going out and blowing up a few cars to get them out of the way. Ootogi and Ryou had to talk him out of it and Ootogi offered him headphones and a CD player to try and drown out the noise. It had subdued the beast for now, but he didn't know how much battery juice was left in his player.

He looked up in time to see the cars move up slowly foot by foot as the exit ramp came into sight. He looked back and forth on the freeway and saw just other people like him stuck on the freeway before he looked at his two passengers. "You two better hang on," he said getting a startled look from Ryou and a confused one from Bakura who couldn't hear before both of them shouted as Ootogi's car shot out of the lane and onto the shoulder of the highway flying down the road. He floored it knowing if anyone caught his license plate his ass would be grass, not that it already wasn't for being late. But he took his shot and made it to the exit ramp cutting a guy off in the process, but remaining unscathed.

"What the hell was that," Ryou said clutching his side of the car for dear life.

"Gomen, but as it is Anzu's already going to kill me so I'm willing to risk it." With that he made his way towards Anzu's formulating some kind of plan to try and fool her mother. Knowing her mother she'd gone up at eleven to get her to come down for practice meaning her shot at escaping was gone. But if he could pass Ryou and his brother off as friends or something he could still get them to come over and hope Anzu was better at winging it then him right then. He came to a screeching halt in front of her house and looked to the other two who were trying to right themselves. "Listen, plans have changed. You're old friends of my family who came to visit for the weekend ok? I went to pick you up but traffic caught us and I couldn't get you to my house before practice."

"And how do we get out of the practice?" Ootogi put on a sheepish face.

"Actually I don't know, maybe Anzu can come up with something."

"What," both brothers screeched.

"Too late, they already spotted us," he said gesturing to Anzu's mom who was waving from the window. He weakly waved back as he stepped out of the car, the two boys following as they entered the house and were greeted by a woman of about 35 or so with long brown hair and warm brown eyes who was smiling but seemed to be annoyed by something.

"Ootogi, where were you we were getting worried. They heard footsteps coming from the basement as two other people poked their heads in the room. Anzu was smiling from cheek to cheek and Shizuka seemed in a daze as the two boys who stood before her. She'd seen Ryou's picture for a minute when they hacked the computer but his brother looked so much like him…except more rough, she tried to hide her blush.

"Ootogi, you made it. For a while Shizuka and I thought we may need someone new for the band or something," she said trying to hide her excitement and see what was going on.

"Seriously, we were circling some ads in the classifieds before you came in," Shizuka said already laying into him.

"If we need to replace anyone it'd be you," he yelled offended.

"Ootogi, who are these people with you," Anzu's mother asked trying to avert a wrestling match in her living room.

"Oh these are some friends of the family who came at the last minute to visit for the weekend but we got stuck on the freeway and didn't have enough time to drop them off at my house before coming here. This is Ryou and Bakura," he said indicating which was which. "Is that OK?"

"That's fine; I just didn't think you were going to make it."

"Ootogi is always so slow if it's before noon, Ootogi what _do_ you do all night that keeps you from getting up in the morning," Shizka said slyly goading him.

"Shizuka what are you suggesting," he said narrowing his eyes.

"I'm not suggesting anything; I just want to know the truth. You know if we make it really big I don't want your dirty laundry dragging our name down."

"Why you," he said and it was on. He jumped at her nearly knocking over a table as she scampered away continuing to tease him.

"Ho ho, so I hit a nerve? Ootogi is a hentai," she sang in a childish voice. Anzu's mother was trying to calm the boy down and get Shizuka to stop teasing him while trying to keep her furniture upright. Ryou couldn't help but chuckle even though he knew it was rude. He felt a hand on his and was yanked back, before he could cry out a hand was put over his mouth and he was dragged out the front door, when he caught a flash of auburn hair. The hand was removed from his mouth and he called out to her.

"Anzu."

"Shh," she smiled and pulled him along until they reached the end of the block and ducked around the corner trying to catch her breath.

"Anzu what are we doing?"

"Killing two birds with one stone. We got away from my practice, and we got away from your brother for the day. Not that I don't like your brother but having a chaperone isn't so fun on your first date."

"Dd-ate?!"

"Come on," she said grabbing his hand and taking off again. His first instinct was to resist, to calm down and rationalize this, but as he took a firmer grip on her hand and watched her hair bounce with every step he let her take the lead and decided to just enjoy the ride.

AN: Sorry if it's crappy, evil writer's block is creeping up on me again! Back fowl beast! Tries fending it off with broom Anyway once again sorry for late update, hope you can forgive me! And hope you enjoyed!


	16. First Dates

AN: Look I live! Seriously this last semester was a pain in the ass; I had five courses (15 credit hours), work, and getting ready for my trip to Japan at the end of the month. Yes for those who don't know I'm leaving the country so I'm trying to update before I leave because although I'll have a laptop I don't know if I'll have time or be able to update. Though if I can I will seriously try this summer. Anyway I haven't written in a long time so PLEASE PLEASE tell me if my writing style is different or horrid or something. And yes it's happy go lucky for now but you know with me that just means I'm trying to balance the bad coming ahead.

Notes on story: As far as I could find Shizuka's last name is kawaii which happens to mean cute this is what Bakura's comment means. Yes I know it's weird Bakura ISN'T a womanizer but I didn't want male slut Bakura running amuck in the fic. Yes I know the setting is in the fall and it shouldn't be hot but I live in Michigan and we got 2 and a half feet of snow just two weeks ago and lost power, do not talk to me about how weather SHOULD be. Think that's all, buh bye now! Please enjoy!

Japanese:

Nani – What

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Leave Sanity at the Door

Chapter 16: First Dates

Shizuka couldn't believe her friend had just left like that! Well ok she could but she didn't think she could sneak away so easily but apparently she and Ootogi had been a good enough distraction. Speaking of distractions…she spared a glance and Ryou's brother who didn't seem so happy to be left behind. He definitely seemed grumpy.

"Where's Anzu?" Shizuka looked over as it seemed Anzu's mom finally took notice of her absence.

"She was just here," came Ootogi's voice trying to sound innocent, she inwardly sighed.

"She couldn't have gone far," Shizuka said looking around the room. "And Ootogi's friend Ryou is gone too," she said trying to lay it on thick. From the look on Anzu's mother's face it seemed she was buying it.

"Maybe he went after her," Ryou's brother finally spoke up also getting into the game. Shizuka felt an odd tingling in her stomach from hearing the roughness in his voice, grating yet smooth as velvet. She felt blood rising to her cheeks and quickly turned to look around trying to take her attention from him and what he seemed to be doing to her. She spotted the front door slightly ajar and decided this would be a good way to lead into Anzu's excuse.

"Hey the front door is cracked." She waited for Mrs. Mizaki to turn and look. "Maybe Anzu went out for some fresh air."

"Fresh air? But we have an all day practice!" Oh yeah she was pissed, Shizuka winced.

"But she really hasn't been out at all since she got out has she? She went to school but I doubt that counts," Ootogi said jokingly. "Maybe she just went for a stroll."

"Well she has about five minutes to stroll her butt back here," the three of them, actually including Bakura, winced at the woman's voice.

"M-maybe we should go look for her," Ootogi suggested definitely wanting to get out of range from the impending doom standing three feet away in black high heels.

"Good idea, come on Bakura we can find your brother as well," Shizuka said grabbing his hand and pulling him towards the door, Ootogi not far behind. All the while Shizuka was trying to ignore the warm sensation she was getting from holding onto Bakura's hand. They made it out the door and down the block not looking back before the finally stopped for a rest.

"Those idiots better be grateful we're helping them," Ootogi said catching his breath and looking for any signs the angry woman had followed them.

"Seriously, you'd think she could come up with a better plan then just running out like she wanted some air!"

"That was her whole plan," Shizuka jumped at the voice next to her ear and felt a blush jump to her face again. She tried to force her body to move but she was stuck in that position.

"Well what should we do now," asked Ootogi. "There's no way in hell I'm going back there until Anzu does and god knows when that'll be."

"M-maybe we should find them and tell them just how bad her moms taking it. She might come back earlier. Also her mom just might call the cops if she's gone too long," Shizuka said taking a deep breath and internally berating herself for stuttering.

"Good idea," Ootogi said with a big grin on his face that fell off a second later. "But we don't know where they are! She left her cell at home so her mom wouldn't try calling!"

"Well they have to be right around here, it's not like they have a lot of money to run off to Hawaii or something and they didn't leave but a few minutes before us," Shizuka rationalized glad she was finally composing herself.

"Good idea, I'll go check by the strip mall and the theatre and you take Bakura to check by the park and amusement park." 'Me…alone…with him.' Her composure was once again out the window and she fought the blush while trying to argue with Ootogi.

"W-wait. Why should Bakura and I go together? Wouldn't it be better if ALL of us split up?"

"Except he's never been to Domino so he'll just get lost." Bakura wanted to throw a comment at him for that but the little smart ass was right. "Anyway you two be good and don't do anything I would," he said waving and taking off.

"There's no way in hell I'd ever do half the perverted things you'd do," Shizuka cried out at his retreating form before turning, grumbling, to Bakura. "That ass is always taking off alone." At the questioning look from Bakura she explained further. "He can't pick up chicks if he's being tailed by someone." He sweat-dropped. "Anyway," she said walking up to him with all the courage she had and holding out her hand. "The name is Shizuka Kawaii." He looked at her for a second before grinning and grabbing her hand shaking it. "Bakura," he said and couldn't help but smirk a bit as he saw the blush rise to her cheeks. He always had that effect on women, but at least this one wasn't throwing herself at him.

"Anyway we should check out the park first since it's smaller and we can check it off faster." She started to walk towards it when she felt something tug on her and noticed she was still holding his hand. She blushed and dropped it letting him cross his arms loosely over his chest.

"Lead the way," he said smiling at her flushed embarrassed face. 'Kawaii, eh? Suitable name…'

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"I haven't been here in ages. The last time I was here was with Yugi back in 6th grade," Anzu said dragging Ryou through the Domino City Amusement Park.

"Yugi?"

"A friend of mine from school."

"It's been years since I was at one of these; it was even before Bakura started skipping school." Anzu just sweat dropped.

"Do you wanna ride rides first or go to the water park?"

"Water Park? I don't really have a suit or anything."

"It's ok I got some money, we can buy some cheap suits at the store they have by it. So which?"  
"How about that," he said pointing as a coaster full of screaming people being flipped upside down went overhead. He didn't hear an answer and looked over to see Anzu's eyes as big as saucers. "Maybe we could start with something smaller he said looking around and spying something else. "How about that," he said pointing to the Scrambler. Anzu looked 100 relieved.

"Sure thing." They got in line and were seated right away. Even though it wasn't very powerful Ryou didn't mind on every turn and jerk being smooshed by the petite brunette next to him.

On the other side of the park at the same time a very similar looking couple entered. The young strawberry brunette leading the lean gruff looking white haired man behind her.

"At least we know there in here, the guy at the entrance said he saw your brother go in but not come out."

"Still who the hell is he to say my hair is bleached!" She winced at the harsh undertone in his voice.

"He didn't know. It is a really rare hair color."

"Still who the hell is he to comment on anything?" She let him be scouting around for the runaway couple.

"It's been so long since I went with Anzu to the amusement park, I don't even know where to start."

"I do," said Bakura looking over to the left. She turned and followed his gave to the sign in big red bold print reading 'Stomach Twister.' She tried to control her heart from pounding through her chest. "My brother loved those rides that do insane things like go upside down, especially stand up ones." She never had a problem with stand up or twisty ones, but going upside down…she tried to suppress a shudder.

"So you think?" He nodded.

"Come on, let's get in line and ask the guy at the front," he said grabbing her hand and pulling her towards the end of the line.

"But what if they already came and went? Or didn't even come on it?"

"If they did come through we can ask which direction they went. If they didn't come at all then we have fun on the ride." As they came to stand in line she noticed he was still holding onto her hand. "Unless you can't take these kind of rides," he said egging her on.

"N-no way! I love these kinds of rides! The crazier the better," she boasted, though she wasn't sure if she was trying to reassure him or herself at that point.

It was about this time that Anzu and Ryou were getting off their second ride, the swing ride. Ryou was trying to fix his poor wildly strewn hair with Anzu giggling as she ran her hands through her own to try and tame it.

"I always love that ride, feeling so weightless in the air!"

"I remember now why I always wore a hat on that ride," Ryou grumbled trying to fix his hair as it continued to stand up.

"Here here," she said motioning for him to turn around. He did so and felt her hands gently trying to comb through the mess of white. Snagging every now and then but even so she never tugged hard and it felt nice. It was almost a shame when she pulled back and said, "Done. Or as done as I'm getting it." She noticed the tinge of pink on his face as he turned around and she couldn't help but smile even wider at how cute he looked. He came up close to her and she didn't know what he was doing and before she could react he kissed her quickly on the lips, just a quick peck but it still sent her face aflame. She'd never really been kissed in a public place before.

"W-what was that for?" She seemed to timid now compared to a minute ago. 'Cute,' he thought.

"For being you," he said just smiling. She just continued blushing until she felt his hand grab her own. "Come on how about one more ride before the water park?"

"Sure, which?" He pulled her along until they came to stand in the back of the line and Anzu immediately tried to leave. "N-no way Ryou I can't do this one!"

"Come on Anzu, it's not very big or very long and it's a sit down, it doesn't even go upside down!" She clutched his arm tightly peering at the thing like it was just waiting to get her or something. "Please, just one? Just one roller coaster and that's it?" She looked over at his pleading eyes and remembered how he really wanted to go on that other one earlier. 'I already denied him the one he really wanted, the least I can do is try this little one. He said it doesn't go upside down and it's not stand up…' She sighed as a sign of agreement. "Thank you," he all but yelled hugging her from behind getting them a few looks but at the moment the two didn't really care if anyone was watching.

Shizuka was trying desperately to keep herself together now. At the back of the line it didn't seem so bad; from far away anything can seem decent. But now that she was at the front and saw just how fast it really went, and hear all the people screaming, and watching them as they looped over her head. 'If you were to fall out at that exact moment you'd fall straight on your head!' She couldn't suppress the tremor that went through her body as she saw herself falling head first towards the ground.

"What's the matter," came the voice from right next to her making her jump as up until then he had been completely quiet.

"N-nothing at all," she said jumping up and trying to put up a tough composure as if everything was all right. It was a bit too little too late as he had already noticed her visibly shudder as the line moved forward again.

"If you're scared we can always just leave and-"

"No way," she cut him off. Once again the line shifted and they were finally in the area where they were divided into lines for the carts. He could see her eyes getting wide and knew she was just putting up a front. A cart of screaming people came to a stop in front of them and people got off. Some younger kids about nine or so were hooting and hollering while a guy of about 20 ran off and threw up in a nearby trash can; she swallowed the lump in her throat. They were seated in the cart third from the front. She was visibly shaking now and started breathing kind of hard.

"Hey don't worry," he said and put an arm around her. "It'll be fun." She looked skeptical. "If you get scared, just grab me and close your eyes." She blushed and looked away.

"I'll be fine," she said but it came out a lot weaker then she planned it to. Just then the cart jumped, she let out a muffled squeal of shock and latched onto his side as the cart started to slowly move forward. He smirked as she held onto him tightly.

"You know if you wanted to get closer." Her face went beat red.

"I'm only doing this because I'm nervous," she said slightly ticked off that he'd be hitting on her at a time like this.

"Really? Are you so sure?"

"Of course I'm-" was as far as she got as, without her noticing, the cart had reached the top of the hill and was now descending rapidly. She once again clutched his side as the cart dived downward leaving her stomach behind. She screamed as they took off for the first loop and closed her eyes grabbing onto Bakura for dear life. She opened them as she felt her body once more right itself.

"Hey you're doing fine, you're still alive," he yelled over to her, snickering. She growled as he was once again teasing her. Until she felt her stomach twist again as she again defied the laws of gravity. This time there was no preparation as she clutched her lifeline and watched the ground swirl beneath her, screaming with the dozen other people on the ride. Her heart felt like it was going to break from her chest as the ride continued.

Her grip on Bakura loosened without her knowledge and as they came upon the last loop she felt one of her arms flying freely in the air as she screamed. But this time it wasn't in fear. She felt her whole body tingling as the cart slowed and finally came to a stop right where they had gotten on. She jumped out of the cart feeling exhilarated.

"Wow that was awesome," she said turning to wait for Bakura to exit with her.

"Yeah and man what a grip, I think I have a cracked rib."

"Hey," she said slugging him in the arm at which he just stared at her like a bug hit him. Just as they were walking down the exit stairs something hit her. "Oh my god we forgot to ask if Anzu and Ryou were there!"

"So," he said walking passed her as she stood there stunned.

"So! The whole point of the ride and going up there was to ask about them."

"Really? I just wanted to go on a ride with a cute girl," he said with a smirk as her face flushed and she chased after him.

"Hey you!"

Ryou had been in many embarrassing moments before and had also been in a bathing suit many times before, and many a time the two events coincided. It wasn't that he didn't like his body, more like he didn't like other people liking his body. But he figured if Anzu was doing it so could he. Speaking of which he was standing outside the bathrooms with a towel waiting for her to emerge. She seemed a little frustrated with the fact the only bathing suits in her size were two pieces but she still wanted to go to the water park. But he was happy she was in such a good mood. She had been so edgy about going on the little coaster but had actually enjoyed on it and rode it again. Though he couldn't help chuckling on the whole way up the first hill she continued chanting 'I'm going to die. I'm going to die.'

"Ryou," he heard his name being called breaking him from his thoughts as he turned and mentally started drooling. The bikini she ended up with was a dark blue color with very light blue almost white lining and strings tying the top together. He knew his face was aflame but couldn't help it as she came up to him. "Hey Ryou looking good," she said with a blush of her own.

His skin was as pale and delicate looking as his hair, looking soft to the touch. Though it stood out in such a place it just seemed to fit him. She really couldn't picture him a dark tan at all. The cute little black trunks she had picked out for him made her want to giggle at the picture of a little toon-like devil on the back that made him whine and not want to wear them.

"S-same to you," he said as his brain finally began to get some function back, though not much.

"Anyway come on lets go on one of the slides with the double tubes," she said grabbing his hand and tugging him away. They made their way over and grabbed a tube going up one of the many towers leading to the top. It wasn't too busy that day for some reason but the two teens didn't pay it much mind. They got in with Ryou on the bottom and Anzu on the top part of the tube before they were pushed off. Anzu hung on to the handles for dear life as she had been known to fall off tubes quite easily. And sure enough as a bump on a bend came up the grip she had on one of the handles was lost and she pitched forward landing in Ryou's lap.

"Aah sorry," she said trying to pull herself back up with the one hand she still had attached. But as she attempted such a feat yet another bump sent her sprawling fully on top of Ryou who was loosing his own grip on the tube.

"Crap I don't think I can hold on," he said as she held onto his waist trying to stay up. One more bounce and the tube was behind them as they slid down pretty much holding onto each other, and that was how they came out in the pool below. Anzu came up first laughing her head off waiting for Ryou to surface. He came up gasping and made his way over to a shallower area with Anzu catching his breath.

"I-I'm so sorry," she gasped between fits of giggles. "I should have warned you that usually happens with me," she said as their tube floated over in their direction.

"Don't be that was one of the best tube rides I've ever had."

"What tube? Half of the trip we were just hanging onto each other," she said blushing but still giggling.

"I know," he said smirking.

"Ryou you pervert," she said and couldn't believe he'd really say something like that. She dipped her hand below the water and started a splash war that lasted until the water guards told them to leave. For being autumn summer was trying very hard to hold on and unexpectedly it started getting pretty hot and the two decided to laze about on the Lazy River. They started off in two tubes but as they continuously splashed and dunked each other a few times they ended up sharing a tube laying across each other like an X.

"I wonder what everyone else is doing right now," she said feeling a pang of guilt for running off.

"I don't know about your friends but if I know my brother there's a good chance he's flirting with your poor girl that was back at your house."

"Nani," she said sitting up and almost tipping them.

"No no, it's ok! Bakura's a bit of a flirt but he's not like a womanizer or anything. Well I mean he's been with a lot of girls but he's never used them."

"So he's just **dated** a lot of girls?" The look she gave him showed her skepticism loud and clear.

"Unbelievably yeah. When he was in junior high he actually kind of got used. Some chick was dared to go out with him because he was this big tough guy who didn't get close to anyone. Anyway so they started dating and she worms her way passed his defenses and he really starts to like her. About that time her dare was complete and she dumped him, he wouldn't really show anyone but I know he was hurting. Something like that leaves an impression. So yes he **dates** a lot but he doesn't really use people, if a girl seriously told him to back off he would. So I think she's relatively safe."

"Probably safer with him then Ootogi."

"Is he that big of a womanizer," he said with disbelief.

"Actually no, they just really get on each others nerves. That little distraction you saw back there happens on a daily basis and that was a tame one." He looked at her wide eyed. "We tease and bicker a lot but we're always just joking and it's really just in fun."

"Sounds nice, I don't have any real close friends. Just my brother and Malik and Marik. It was funny," he said with a chuckle. "Marik and Bakura hated each other when they first met. Marik heard Malik say Bakura was kind of hot and even though Bakura is 100 straight Marik got sooo jealous. Eventually Malik got in between them and calmed down Marik and apologized to Bakura. From then on they'd been stuck together like glue. They're troublemakers and they skip constantly, but when a friend of theirs needs some help they're there for them."

"Well then you do have friends." She said shifting in the tube a bit placing her foot a bit closer to Ryou's head.

"Huh? But we don't know each other that well."

"No but it's like you said if a friend is in trouble they'll help them out. How many times have they helped you out now," she said with a catty smile stuck on her face.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," he said his smile getting slightly brighter.

"And it's not like anyone is going anywhere anytime soon, you can get to know them better whenever you want, you have the time. Speaking of time," she said looking over at the clock posted in the middle of the park. "It's almost five, we should get out soon."

"Ok," replied Ryou and without another word he leaned back falling off the tube and throwing Anzu off balance sending her into the river for a dunking.

"Ryou," she chased him out of the river tossing the tube aside to pursue him until he ducked into the bathroom/changing rooms. "You may have evaded me for now but I shall have revenge," she yelled and looked around to notice everyone staring at her like a loony. She coughed into her fist, her face aflame, and strolled over the women's changing area.

She held the golden ring in her hand grasping it tightly, putting all of her energy and determination into the small item. 'Come on I'm counting on you.' She held the ring firmly in her hands and…tossed it. "Come on," yelled Shizuka as the ring went airborne and bounced once, twice, circled one of the jug rims, and fell leaving the bottle opening naked. "Noo! That was my last five!"

Bakura sighed from behind her; she'd been at the game for at least 15 minutes now. He'd asked if she wanted something specific he could get it for her but she'd yelled and said she didn't need someone else, that she could do it herself. And he had then quietly sat back and watched as she spent almost $25 on rings trying to toss them on top of large brown jug openings. As it was he was getting hungry and just wanted to go over to a stand and spend his cash on a Coney dog or something, but… He looked over at her crestfallen face and couldn't help the tugging he felt in his chest as he pulled out a five and slapped it on the table getting him a basket of rings.

"W-what are you doing," she all but yelled. "I told you not to help me."

"I'm not," he said smirking. "I'm getting something for me and in the process showing you how much you stink."

"Hey," she yelled indignantly slugging him again and once again not getting a reaction from him. But he wasn't paying much attention as he tossed a few rings. Within seven rings he'd got a ring on and won a small prize. He still had a basket full of rings so he continued tossing and after just five more rings he won another prize and traded the small in for a medium. He still had roughly half a basket left and got cocky but he was starting to sweat as he was down to his last four rings when he finally got another on and won a large prize. He had to get it on in the next four to win the jumbo prize he was trying for.

He was actually trying to concentrate now and tossed one, two, he held the third and fourth in his hands. He tossed the third and missed, he looked over at the girl standing next to him and saw a weird determined facial expression she had on. She was staring intently at the bottles, focusing on them, she'd been watching him win and couldn't help but inwardly cheer for him. Though she would never show or tell him! But she was staring so intently at the bottles that she was startled when a little yellow ring came into view and jumped back a bit. She followed the hand holding the ring up to the arm and to the face of Bakura.

"Here."

"Huh? Why are you giving this to me?"

"I'm not going to win, thought you might have better luck." He dropped the ring in her hand.

"B-better luck! You did watch me blow all of my money didn't you? I mean you enjoy watching others suffer like that right?"

"Like I said I know I'm not going to win, but who knows maybe you'll get some kind of fluke," he said nonchalantly.

"Fluke! Fluke!" She grabbed the ring and tossed it as hard as she could at the bottles, "There's your fluke!" It bounced once, twice, and landed on one of the rims. She blinked a few times, her eyes wide.

"Huh?"

"The little lady wins a jumbo prize. Take your pick," said the man running the stand coming over to her.

"W-wait a minute I'm not the-"

"Don't be so embarrassed," said Bakura cutting her off. "You got the ring on the bottle, you won, guess you showed me," he said it as if it were nothing.

"But…" He turned and started walking away.

"Come get me when you're done, I'm getting a Coney Dog." She watched him go over to the stand and looked back at the prizes before picking out the large dolphin plush she'd been eyeing the whole time.

He was just about to take another bite out f his half eaten Coney when he felt himself being squeezed from behind. He turned to look and saw Shizuka holding a large dolphin plush and blushing badly while holding him; he patted her head.

"So that's what you wanted so badly," he asked. She blinked and quickly let go.

"Yes," was her simple answer, he didn't seem too satisfied with that but let it go. She sighed feeling bad for not telling him when he helped her win it. "My brother and I are together now but until last year our parents had divorced and separated us for almost six years. The last good memory before we separated was going to the beach and I remember watching the dolphins with him. She expected a sarcastic remark or some jesting on his part but was surprised when he said something completely different.

"That's…really nice. Older brothers are supposed to do stuff like that. They gotta watch out for the kids who come later." One thing was for sure as she ran to catch up with him as he had left her shocked where she stood was, there was more to him then it seemed.

"Wow look at the view," Anzu practically squealed from her seat. They were currently about fifty feet in the air staring over at the horizon where the sun was beginning its decent for the day.

"Man I can't believe it's just a bit after six and the suns already going down."

"Well winter is coming," Anzu said as she sat back in her seat across from Ryou.

"I wish it was summer again, or spring, I love the light rain storms we get."

"Hmm, I personally like this season the best," she said smiling.

"Autumn," he asked.

"Yeah the summer still keeps it warm but your so tired of the heat the cool breezes feel nice and the days get shorter but aren't as bad as when its winter. The cool time right before the snow. This is my favorite time."

"You say that but cone again we had a weird day today where is still seemed like summer."

"El Nino," was her only reply before they both started giggling. "Unfortunately I'm going to have a worse storm waiting at home for me tonight."

"Yeah I know the feeling," said Ryou sweat-dropping wondering what Bakura's reaction was going to be. "But it was worth it, at least I think so," he said blushing slightly. They both smiled as they came together, soft skin on soft skin as puffs of wrm breath were felt on their faces and their eyes slid closed sharing a single blissful moment in which they seemed to be the only people in the world. They pulled back blushing but didn't look away. That is until they heard the shrill cry of "ANZU!" They both blinked and pulled away looking outside the cart and were surprised to see Shizuka and Bakura down below calling for them.

"Come on Ryou! This is serious," his brother wasn't as loud as the young girl next to him but he could still hear the impatience in his voice.

"Crap, I wonder why they came looking for us. I thought they were going to convince my mom I just went out for fresh air." Ryou looked at her skeptically.

"You really expected your mom to believe that?"

"Of course not! That's why I wanted Ootogi and Shizuka to lay it on thick, THEY were supposed to convince her. Ryou once again sweat-dropped. "But if they came all the way out here it must be important." With that Anzu leaned out of the window of the cart. "Shizuka! Bakura! Up here!" The two looked around them a few times before their gazes were brought up and they started waving frantically. The couple had to wait until their cart came down before they exted and met up with their friends/siblings and were promptly dragged towards the entrance/exit of the park.

"Hold on guys what's wrong?"

"Yeah I know mom's going to be mad at me but running home isn't going to help anything," pleaded Anzu.

"You seriously don't know HOW much trouble," Shizuka all but yelled.

"W-what happened," asked Anzu.

"Your mom totally spazzed so we took off and said we'd go look for you. Ootogi went to the strip mall and cinema," Shizuka said causing Anzu to sweat-drop. "While we went to the park then here."

"Apparently," Ryou said pointing out the dolphin. Shizuka blushed.

"That's not the point! The point is it wasn't too bad a while ago. We thought even if we didn't find you everything would be ok so we started having fun in the park."

"Ahh, you mean like a date," said Anzu cattily. Shizuka was once again crimson, though it was hard to tell if it was anger or embarrassment.

"Stop interrupting! Anzu your mom called the cops!"

"WHAT!"

"Seriously," Anzu all but screamed.

"But why? And I thought you had to be gone 24 hours before you could call the cops," asked Ryou.

"Well usually yeah but I guess Anzu's mom talked to the two detectives who came over before," Shizuka said lowering her voice. "I guess they thought it could be something like that." Anzu's good mood died almost instantly as she wondered if it was possible, if Dratz really would come after her.

"But it's not that serious," Ryou said inadvertently snapping Anzu out of it. She quickly shoved that thought to the back of her mind and tried to get back in on it.

"Ok, ok that's not important. The important thing is I need to get home without the cops getting involved," said Anzu.

"Good so let's get going we can take some back ways," said Shizuka. They quickly exited the park and started heading around the outskirts of it making their way towards a main road. Anzu couldn't help the shiver her body produced when she thought of the upcoming trial…and him. She'd been trying to get on with her life, but the thought of the detectives had brought him back into her thoughts. She just wanted the whole ordeal over, but she knew it was far from. The lamps along the roads turned on as the last bits of light faded behind the horizon.

AN: Good? Bad? Ugly? I was wondering, the Bakura/Shizuka thing could swing to friends or more from this point tell me which you'd prefer. Please give me some feedback it's been so long since I've written!


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